Some teenagers still feel they could be judged as flawed if they see a psychologist, so they tell almost nobody. I haven't told anyone except my family. Still others keep the appointments a secret, not out of a fear of being exposed, but to reduce the likelihood that other athletes will seek therapy, thus diluting the competitive edge they believe they're acquiring. A standard teaching method, some psychologists say, is to use visualization techniques, where athletes mentally rehearse competitive situations. If athletes complain about lack of concentration, they are given exercises such as staring at a finger for 10 minutes with the TV blaring in the background.
Sports psychologists come from varied backgrounds, and veterans in the field warn about charlatans.
Only two things are clear. In order to practice in Massachusetts, psychologists are required to have state licenses that minimally require a doctorate in psychology. Insurance coverage for sports psychology falls into a gray area. At first, they thought he was compensating for starting the sport relatively late, and standing a comparatively diminutive 5 feet 8 inches tall. But his obsession got more intense.