Tramontana Sports Hypnosis in Practice

Scripts, Strategies and Case Examples
1. Auflage 2011
ISBN: 978-1-84590-730-3
Verlag: Crown House Publishing
Format: EPUB
Kopierschutz: 6 - ePub Watermark

E-Book, Englisch, 256 Seiten

This book offers new strategies and scripts for hypnotherapists, sports counsellors and sports psychologists working with athletes to help them achieve their peak performance. A major focus of the book is that the therapist does not necessarily need to be familiar with the sport or activity to serve as a 'mental coach' to the athlete. The athlete is instructed that the goal is not to improve the mechanics of their performance (that is left up to their coaches) but, rather, to help them to relax, concentrate and focus so that they fulfill their maximum potential. They learn not to let the mental side of their game trip up the physical side, but rather to enhance it.

Joseph Tramontana, PhD is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist and certified consultant in clinical hypnosis. Dr. Tramontana is president of the Louisiana Psychological Association and of the New Orleans Society for Clinical Hypnosis. He is also a member of the Association of Applied Sports Psychologists.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Tramontana, Joseph

Leseproben

Praise for Sports Hypnosis in Practice

As an experienced hypnotherapist and trainer, I never stop enjoying and gaining from well written, structured books on hypnosis; and I have read many! I like nothing more than to peruse people’s views, ideas, and practice to expand and enhance my own. This book was one of those pleasurable reads taking me through the author’s views, strategies, techniques, and case studies on hypnosis in sports performance.

It is clear from the skilful writing that experience and personal successes are the foundations to each chapter, thus it is a fascinating read not just for all those interested in finely tuning their existing hypnotic interventions, but for anyone involved in sports performance or simply interested in this field.

This book’s strength is not just the knowledge it delivers, but its comprehensive structure and readability. It is a first rate example of multilevel communication conveyed through the written word.

It is packed full of motivational ideas including metaphors and stories, scripts, strategies, and suggestions all entwined around real sports performers, which will undoubtedly leave you energized about the efficiency and effectiveness of sports hypnosis.

Well done Joseph!

Tom Barber, DHp MA, Director, Contemporary College of Therapeutic Studies UK, co-author of Thinking Therapeutically: Hypnotic Skills and Strategies Explored

An excellent read for sports psychologists, sports therapists and lovers of sport. Techniques that work are all backed up by a wealth of experience.

Aaron Surtees, Director, City Hypnosis

In this very practical book on hypnosis and sports, Joseph Tramontana adds to his string of effective publications. His tone is approachable and friendly. Clearly, he has a wide background in hypnosis, which he makes accessible for the novice as well as the experienced clinician.

Joe’s approach is straightforward: you don’t need to be an accomplished athlete in order to be a good mental coach. The stories of his clinical work and extensive contacts with sports luminaries make it easy for the reader to get involved. In addition to many scripts, he gives suggestions on how to talk to coaches and athletes in order to market a viable sport hypnosis practice.

David M. Wark, PhD, ABPH, Emeritus Professor of Psychology, University of Minnesota

The increasing popularity of mental training in sport, and in particular sports hypnosis, has created a need for a comprehensive practical guide for hypnotherapists and sports psychologists interested in developing their hypnosis skills in performance-related fields. In Sports Hypnosis in Practice, Joseph Tramontana has produced such a guide, filled with case studies, interviews, and scripts from his many years of experience as a clinical sports psychologist. The book details the methods he has used in a variety of sports, including the actual hypnosis scripts used in sessions, as well as providing considerable reference to the research and reading on which these methods are based.

Based on accepted sports psychology principles, Sports Hypnosis in Practice goes beyond just introducing hypnosis to sports psychology, but also examines the role of mental training as a whole, including insightful interviews with coaches and former players. In addition to chapters covering specific sports such as golf, tennis, athletics, and show jumping, Dr Tramontana has included useful guidance for dealing with other issues such as injury recovery and substance abuse. For the experienced hypnotherapist wanting to expand into sport, or the sports psychologist wanting to learn about adding hypnosis to their skillset, this book is an invaluable addition to their library.

Gary Baker, The Centre for Sports Hypnosis

Anyone serious about hypnotic sport psychology will insist on having this book in their library. The chapters on working with the injured athlete returning to their sport and with the addicted athlete are both unique and most valuable. Taking the information in this book and individualizing and tailoring it to the sportsperson actually sitting in front of you will garner great results!

John H. Edgette, PsyD, Director of the Milton H. Erickson Institute of Philadelphia, and co-author of Winning the Mind Game

Hypnotherapists who enjoy working with athletes or who want to add sports psychology to their practice will cheer for Joseph Tramontana’s Sports Hypnosis in Practice. Unlike other fine books that address hypnosis for a specific sport (like Tom Saunders’ Golf) or a generic approach to hypnosis for all sports (like Edgette and Rowan’s Winning the Mind Game), this book devotes chapters to 15 individual and team sports – from gymnastics to rugby.

The book opens with an overview of the literature on sports hypnosis and the emergence of sports psychology. The first chapter gives information on general considerations for the practitioner, such as introducing sports hypnosis to the client, tests of hypnotizability, hypnotic inductions, deepening, guided imagery, self-hypnosis, regression, reframing, and cognitive behavioral therapy. The subsequent chapters, on hypnotic approaches to specific sports, show practitioners that each sport has its own vocabulary and performance standards. The author writes from his own experience as a runner and as a hypnotherapist who has worked with many athletes; amateurs and professionals.

Like Tramontana’s Hypnotically Enhanced Treatment for Addictions, this book is highly readable with excellent case examples (many of which can be used as metaphors), hypnotic scripts, treatment strategies, and verbatim interviews with coaches and athletes about the psychology behind specific sports. A chapter on helping athletes recover from injury includes pain management, imagery for healing, and a hypnotic question–answer process for pinpointing the origin of psychosomatic illness. The final chapter on addictions and eating disorders in sports is as timely as today’s sports headlines. This book hits a home run!

Judith E. Pearson, PhD, Professional Counselor, Clinical Hypnotherapist, Master NLP Practitioner/Trainer, and author of The Weight, Hypnotherapy and You Weight Reduction Program: An NLP and Hypnotherapy Practitioner’s Manual

Dr Tramontana has written a excellent book on the practice of sports hypnosis. This is a book that I can now highly recommend to my future students. He has cited the top people in the field of sports hypnosis and I am sure that all of them will be making this book required reading for anyone interested in using hypnosis with athletes.

Mitch Smith, LCSW-C, DAHB

Where were you Dr Tramontana when I needed you about 15 years ago? The telephone rang and, on answering, I heard a very cultured female voice telling me that she needed my help to improve her golf!

I needed patients but had to admit to her, in all honesty, that I hardly knew one end of a golf club from the other. If she was happy with that then I was prepared to do all that I could.

She came and for a couple of sessions we used the first half of the session for her to explain the mechanics of her need – the smooth swing and so on, and the second half introducing all of this hypnotically.

She was happy. I wasn’t. As we progressed I broached the idea that her problem was more her own self-belief and confidence than any physical malfunction. Greater belief in her own abilities and a more relaxed outlook on her game would lead to its own steady improvement.

To begin with I think she was rather offended by me inferring that she was uptight, lacking in confidence, angry with herself, but was prepared to go along with me and let me drop the “golf coaching” and concentrate on what I knew best as a hypnotherapist.

The results were terrific. She went from strength to strength and in a short time started to feature regularly on the “roll of honour” at her club.

Other club members asked her what she was doing to bring about this improvement. Was she having private lessons? She did admit to visiting “her man in Tewkesbury.” It was assumed I was a golf pro who had taken up coaching. They asked for my details as they wished to see the same improvement in their own games. My phone never rang though. As soon as they realized I was a hypnotherapist and not a golfer they rapidly lost interest and added: “We don’t need that sort of man thank you!”

Times have changed – fortunately – and it is now commonplace to hear of sports psychologists and so on, working with our leading sportsmen and women. Joseph Tramontana’s Sports Hypnosis in Practice is a groundbreaking book explaining how hypnosis can best be used to the benefit of those who are in sport and are seeking to achieve their peak performance.

In my own experience the client had in her mind that I could, through hypnosis, teach her how to play golf better. As Joseph Tramontana says in his book, this is not the task of the therapist but is the job of the coach. It is for them to develop and extend the mechanical side to boost physical performance.

The hypnotherapist, sports counselor or sports psychologist is there to work on all mental aspects of sport. Importantly, and a great relief to a sports illiterate such as myself, the therapist does not need to be familiar with the sport...