(Editor’s note: Report by Danny Desin, M.S., www.desinsportpsych.com)
In April of 2019 I wrote an article for MontanaSports.com titled "Healthy mindsets crucial for athletes recovering from serious injuries." In that article I highlighted the three general categories of an athlete’s response to injury and the rehabilitation that comes with it: information processing, emotional and reactive behavior and positive outlook and coping.
These three general categories aren't experienced by every athlete and certainly not in that exact order. But maintaining a healthy mindset is a key factor in an injured athlete's opportunity to recover from a serious injury and, ultimately, return to playing the sport they love.
Belgrade senior Gabby Weber, who was highlighted in the MontanaSports.com Original: One day at a time, sat down with me during the Eastern AA divisional basketball tournament at MSU Billings to discuss some of the mental skills she used in her recovery from popliteal artery entrapment syndrome and the accompanying surgeries and rehab that followed.
Gabby used a variety of mental skills in her recovery -- visualization, setting goals, journaling -- and these same mental skills can be applied to other athletes battling similar situations.
To listen to my conversation with Gabby, please click here.
About Danny Desin: Danny Desin has been around the Billings sports community all of his life — as a spectator, player, and coach. Desin received a Bachelors of Science in Psychology from MSU Billings and played college basketball for both Montana State University and MSU-Billings. Has has graduate level education at both Boise State University and California Southern University, where he finished a Master’s of Science in Psychology with a specialization in Sport Psychology. He is a member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC).
