#154 - Samantha McLeod, Sport Psychologist at Richmond Tigers Football Club
Channel: High Performance Content for AFL Staff & Athletes
Date: 2022-08-08

Samantha is the Managing Director of The SAM Centre. She is a Clinical Health Psychologist and a Sport and Exercise Psychologist. Samantha has 30 years of experience in private practice in well-established multidisciplinary clinics and as a consultant to private businesses, peak and sporting bodies, tertiary lecturer, and clinical leader in corporate and public health organizations.

Highlights from the episode:

00:00 Importance of getting out of your comfort zone
01:16 Getting experience in elite sport as a sports psychologist
02:14 What it takes to develop a champion's mindset
03:35 How to improve your recovery and performance with diaphragmatic breathing
04:54 Mental skills athletes can start practicing now to become elite

Samantha McLeod, sports psychologist at Richmond Tigers Football Club, discusses the importance of pushing practitioners out of their comfort zones for growth and learning. She emphasizes the need for hands-on experience in running interventions and sessions, highlighting the value of building efficacy. McLeod acknowledges the challenges faced by sports psychologists in Australia, particularly in obtaining full-time roles in elite sports, and advises students to develop general clinical skills alongside performance psychology. McLeod emphasizes the significance of mental skills in an athlete's development, stating that it acts as a "secret weapon" in achieving success. She recommends that athletes focus on developing a champion mentality, emphasizing qualities like mental agility, a thirst for learning, internal drive, and belief in oneself for long-term success.

Connect with Samantha:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-samantha-mcleod-9b020739/
Website: http://samcentre.com.au/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thesamcentre/

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