Philadelphia Sports Psychologists Tries To Develop Athletes As A Whole
Dr. K.C. Wilder is a mental training coach based in Philadelphia. Her concentration is educational applied sports psychology and counseling. Dr. Wilder earned degrees from Brown University in organizational behavior and management (B.A.), a master's in counseling and research, and her doctorate in kinesiology from the University of Virginia (both M.Ed. And Ph.d).
What continuing education is required for your role?
"I graduated with a doctorate degree from the University of Virginia's Curry School of Education, specializing in educational applied sport psychology, research and counseling. With more than 12 years experience as a mental training coach, I continue my education through the Association of Advanced Sport Psychology (AASP). This allows me to stay up-to-date on the latest cutting-edge research and techniques that I can not only apply to my private practice clients, but also to the national groups I speak to regarding confidence, effective thinking, goal-setting and optimal performance."
Can you describe your duties as a psychologist?
"As a mental training coach with a background in educational applied sport psychology, I help athletes of all ages reach their peak performance, both in and out of their chosen sport, however, for me, it's not just about improving an athlete's mindset, but developing the athlete as a whole. I identify if a client's hurdle is either psychological or physical or both, then we focus on improving all pieces of the performance puzzle."
How has education prepared you for your career in Psychology?
"Thanks to my master's degree in counseling and research and my doctorate in kinesiology, I've found that the best preparation for working with my clients was the real world experiences that I had in sport psychology. My education, combined with my own background as a former professional cyclist and two-time Master's National Cycling champion, gives me a well-rounded understanding and insight into the role the mind plays in elite performance, as well as the mental pressures and physical challenges athletes of all ages face."
What advice would you give someone who is pursuing a career in Psychology?
"A solid kinesiology education is a must for those looking to become a mental training/game coach, like myself, or to pursue a career in educational applied sport psychology (to be clear, not clinical psychology). I believe in order to effectively work with athletes, you need to know how the body performs at various levels. I would also advise anyone considering this unique career to include some character development work for not only yourself but your clients, too. For instance, I'm a member of the positive coaching alliance, so I want to help my clients with their individual performance goals while providing young athletes with a positive, character-building sports experience."
Christina Thompson is a freelance writer living in Philadelphia. She reports on various topics such as: Social Media, Local Events, Entertainment, Food and Drink and more. Her work can be found at http://firstsendmedia.com/
