Practitioner Characteristics, Peer Consultation, and Self-Care

Professional practice within applied sport psychology provides the practitioner with several unique challenges in comparison to more traditional psychological practice settings. Differences include client characteristics, the range of roles and services provided, non-traditional work environments and frequent travel. To work successfully within this context, the current chapter will discuss personal characteristics and qualities of the practitioner which have been identified from the perspective of the client, as well as by practitioners themselves. The ethical considerations and challenges faced by practitioners working within the sport environment can be as numerous and diverse as the range of roles and services they provide. The current chapter will outline the role of peer consultation as a tool to ensure (i) professional support, (ii) professional accountability, and (iii) adherence to ethical guidelines. Finally, the self-care strategies employed by practitioners to meet the challenges faced while working in applied sport psychology will also be discussed.