In this episode of The Mental Performance Mastery Podcast Reflect & Refocus, Brian discusses what Mental Performance Coaches can do to help their athletes return to play from injury.

In this episode Brian shares 10 ways you can help your athletes during a return to play from injury.

1. Goal Setting for Rehab Progress: Encourage them to set specific, measurable, and realistic goals related to their rehab progress, focusing on what they can control. This keeps them motivated and provides structure.

2. Visualization and Imagery: Teach the athlete to use mental imagery to “rehearse” their sport. Visualizing movements, techniques, and successful performances can help maintain muscle memory and increase mental toughness.

3. Mindfulness and Meditation: Introduce mindfulness techniques to help them stay present and manage the emotional challenges of being injured. It can improve emotional regulation, reduce stress, and improve focus during recovery.

4. Developing Self-Awareness: Use journaling or reflective practices to increase their awareness of their mental and emotional states. This can help them understand their mental habits and areas for growth.

5. Positive Self-Talk: Help the athlete develop a positive internal dialogue, even during challenging times. This reinforces resilience and combats negative thoughts associated with injury.

6. Cognitive Restructuring: Teach them how to reframe negative or unproductive thoughts (e.g., “I’m missing out” to “I’m using this time to build mental strength”). This fosters a growth mindset.

7. Confidence Building: Work on confidence by reviewing past successes, identifying strengths, and setting small, achievable mental goals. This helps them regain belief in their abilities during recovery.

8. Resilience Training: Encourage mental toughness training by discussing setbacks as opportunities for growth. Use adversity stories or case studies from other athletes who’ve overcome injury.

9. Maintaining Team Connection: Encourage them to stay involved with the team, whether by attending practices, engaging with teammates, or taking on a mentorship role. This keeps them connected and mentally engaged.

10. Focus on Skill Development: Work on building mental skills such as focus, concentration, and emotional regulation. Use this time to train these areas, as they will be useful when they return to competition.

Each strategy helps the athlete stay mentally sharp while navigating the psychological challenges of injury recovery.

Brian Cain, MPM, the World’s leader in Mental Performance Coaching brings you practical tips you can use as a mental performance coach to help your athletes close the gap from where they are to where they want to be and to maximize their potential.

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