Michelle Pain (michellepain) 
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| Sport Psychologist | |
| Parkdale Amber P/L | |
| Mentone, Australia | |
http://web.mac.com/michellepain/ http://web.mac.com/michellepain/Parkdale_Amber/Welcome.html/ |
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| Joined: Jul 13th,2007 | Profile hits: 1427 | Network: 323 | |
Profile Summary
Michelle is sport psychologist, based in Melbourne (Australia); developer of Pocket Sport Psychology (www.pocketsportpsychology.com) for athletes.
Dr Michelle Pain
Sport Psychologist
Parkdale Amber P/L
Melbourne Australia
Pocket Sport Psychology
I want to tell you about something that I think is pretty cool.
For a long while, I've been particularly keen to make sport psychology 'accessible' to the general public, no matter what level they compete at. This year, I had this idea of making a TV series, and found out it could be done if I packaged it all together and sold it as a finished product to a TV station (meaning I'd need to get advertisers on board to the tune of about a hundred thousand dollars to cover the pre- and post-production costs etc) - that didn't appeal... Then I thought of putting something up on You Tube - it's free - but athletes didn't always have access to a computer when they compete. Thinking, thinking, thinking... Then I thought, "nearly all the athletes I know have their music on a small device like an iPod...how cool would it be if I could get them to think and act a particular way by giving directions through their own everyday technology?".
That's when Pocket Sport Psychology was born!
I initially created 11 sport psychology tracks and then showed them to an Uncle who suggested I do some in general psychology (anxiety, depression etc) too. I then showed those to a counselling colleague who suggested people might like some in the health psychology line (eg body image, quitting smoking etc). Some of the tracks are the same on different CDs, but I've got 11 tracks on each CD. I've got a demo on the sport psychology page of the Confidence track.
If you buy a CD, the READ ME instructions explain that you can either upload the tracks to iTunes' movie folder. Then, you can watch them on a computer if you wish, but they were designed to be installed on your hand held devices. They look particularly good on the iPod nano and iPhone, but I don't have either of those - I've got mine on a PSP. You can down load the tracks to your device to be shown as a movie, or as music, depending on which folder you install them. If you don't have a device with a screen, put them in the music folder of your device when you connect to iTunes.
I've made the CDs really good value (AUS$25) with the hope that they're cheap enough for people to pay for themselves without just burning multiple copies for their friends! I'm about to add PayPal to my website so you can purchase them via the web using a credit card, and Keith and Rob at iStadia are also going to sell them (I think, though, in a version that allows one to download a track at a time, or the whole CD, electronically like iTunes does). They're working on it at the moment.
I think this is good stuff - and I hope you do too. Check it out and tell me what you think. It's my way of 'bringing sport psychology to the world'.
Sport Psychologist
Parkdale Amber P/L
Melbourne Australia
Pocket Sport Psychology
I want to tell you about something that I think is pretty cool.
For a long while, I've been particularly keen to make sport psychology 'accessible' to the general public, no matter what level they compete at. This year, I had this idea of making a TV series, and found out it could be done if I packaged it all together and sold it as a finished product to a TV station (meaning I'd need to get advertisers on board to the tune of about a hundred thousand dollars to cover the pre- and post-production costs etc) - that didn't appeal... Then I thought of putting something up on You Tube - it's free - but athletes didn't always have access to a computer when they compete. Thinking, thinking, thinking... Then I thought, "nearly all the athletes I know have their music on a small device like an iPod...how cool would it be if I could get them to think and act a particular way by giving directions through their own everyday technology?".
That's when Pocket Sport Psychology was born!
I initially created 11 sport psychology tracks and then showed them to an Uncle who suggested I do some in general psychology (anxiety, depression etc) too. I then showed those to a counselling colleague who suggested people might like some in the health psychology line (eg body image, quitting smoking etc). Some of the tracks are the same on different CDs, but I've got 11 tracks on each CD. I've got a demo on the sport psychology page of the Confidence track.
If you buy a CD, the READ ME instructions explain that you can either upload the tracks to iTunes' movie folder. Then, you can watch them on a computer if you wish, but they were designed to be installed on your hand held devices. They look particularly good on the iPod nano and iPhone, but I don't have either of those - I've got mine on a PSP. You can down load the tracks to your device to be shown as a movie, or as music, depending on which folder you install them. If you don't have a device with a screen, put them in the music folder of your device when you connect to iTunes.
I've made the CDs really good value (AUS$25) with the hope that they're cheap enough for people to pay for themselves without just burning multiple copies for their friends! I'm about to add PayPal to my website so you can purchase them via the web using a credit card, and Keith and Rob at iStadia are also going to sell them (I think, though, in a version that allows one to download a track at a time, or the whole CD, electronically like iTunes does). They're working on it at the moment.
I think this is good stuff - and I hope you do too. Check it out and tell me what you think. It's my way of 'bringing sport psychology to the world'.
A client coming to see me for the first time would expect me to:
1. ask them questions about 'what it's like to be them in that sport'
2. for us to identify what the issue is to work on for that session
3. for me to offer several practical suggestions that they could take away and use right away
Clients would ordinarily try out these suggestions over a week or two, and they could e-mail me to let me know what worked or didn't work. I would e-mail back further suggestions and encouragement. If necesary, I might suggest another session (but the majority of my clients are 'one-offs'). I aim to do myself out of business by empowering my clients with knowledge.
As many of my clients are teenagers, if they feel more comfortable doing so, I welcome them bringing along a parent to the session.
1. ask them questions about 'what it's like to be them in that sport'
2. for us to identify what the issue is to work on for that session
3. for me to offer several practical suggestions that they could take away and use right away
Clients would ordinarily try out these suggestions over a week or two, and they could e-mail me to let me know what worked or didn't work. I would e-mail back further suggestions and encouragement. If necesary, I might suggest another session (but the majority of my clients are 'one-offs'). I aim to do myself out of business by empowering my clients with knowledge.
As many of my clients are teenagers, if they feel more comfortable doing so, I welcome them bringing along a parent to the session.
To find out more about me, click here.
To find out about the sport psychology conference I'm running in January '09, click here, or to find out about pocketsportpsychology titles, click here.
Employment
2000 - Sport psychologist in privale practice (part time)
2001 - Sessional staff member at Victoria University, teaching sport psychology to students in the TAFE sector
1988 - 2000 Full time staff member at Monash University
1987 Researcher at the Cancer Council of Victoria
1984 Teacher Aide at local Primary School (part time)
Qualifications
1987 - 1995 PhD (Monash)
1985-6 MEd (Monash)
1984 Dip Ed (Psych) (Monash)
1981 - 1983 BSc (Monash)
Professional highlights
2008 Developed Pocket Sport Psychology, Pocket Health Psychology, and Pocket General
Psychology titltes for athletes to load up on their iPods (or other hand held devices) to access
at any time
1998 - Running sport psychology conferences
1997 Introduced psych testing at the AFL Draft for football hopefuls
1995 Graduated with a PhD (Arousal and performance in male 1500m athletes)
1991 Started up the first coursework Masters in Sport Psychology in Australia, which led to the
formation of the College of Sport Psychologists (a specialisation within the Australian
Psychological Society) while a lecturer at Monash Uni
1986 Became interested in sport psychology (after reading Nideffer's book - I think it was 'An athlete's
guide to mental training' but it was published in 1976). I was in 2nd year psych and asked the
Head of Department where one could go to find out more "We don't do that sort of thing here in
Australia. You'll need to go to the US," he said. (see 1991)
Sporting
1993 Life membership (Doncaster Athletic Club)
1981 - 1989 Committee member (Treasuer, Secretary, Team Manager Doncaster Athletic Club)
1976 - 1989 Track and field competitor (Doncaster Athletic Club)
2000 - Sport psychologist in privale practice (part time)
2001 - Sessional staff member at Victoria University, teaching sport psychology to students in the TAFE sector
1988 - 2000 Full time staff member at Monash University
1987 Researcher at the Cancer Council of Victoria
1984 Teacher Aide at local Primary School (part time)
Qualifications
1987 - 1995 PhD (Monash)
1985-6 MEd (Monash)
1984 Dip Ed (Psych) (Monash)
1981 - 1983 BSc (Monash)
Professional highlights
2008 Developed Pocket Sport Psychology, Pocket Health Psychology, and Pocket General
Psychology titltes for athletes to load up on their iPods (or other hand held devices) to access
at any time
1998 - Running sport psychology conferences
1997 Introduced psych testing at the AFL Draft for football hopefuls
1995 Graduated with a PhD (Arousal and performance in male 1500m athletes)
1991 Started up the first coursework Masters in Sport Psychology in Australia, which led to the
formation of the College of Sport Psychologists (a specialisation within the Australian
Psychological Society) while a lecturer at Monash Uni
1986 Became interested in sport psychology (after reading Nideffer's book - I think it was 'An athlete's
guide to mental training' but it was published in 1976). I was in 2nd year psych and asked the
Head of Department where one could go to find out more "We don't do that sort of thing here in
Australia. You'll need to go to the US," he said. (see 1991)
Sporting
1993 Life membership (Doncaster Athletic Club)
1981 - 1989 Committee member (Treasuer, Secretary, Team Manager Doncaster Athletic Club)
1976 - 1989 Track and field competitor (Doncaster Athletic Club)
Over nearly 20 years, my clients have included (but are not limited to):
* Tennis players
* AFL (Australian Football League) coaches, recruiting staff, players
* Cricketers
* Softball players
* Swimmers
* Track and Field athletes
* Triathletes
* Soccer players
* Netball players
My 'trickiest' cases have been where I've worked with more than one client (different sports) who has been raped by her coach, and supported the player and her family. My 'worst' experiences (thankfully few) have been where a client shows no insight into their behavour or thoughts (and doesn't want to change). I love working with active thinkers who want to improve themselves.
One of my most 'successful' sport psychology experiences came from working with an experienced rower who had represented Australia in the past and wanted to try to make selection for the Sydney Olympics so she could compete in front of her 'home crowd'. Her choices were: be selected (not in her control), or retire. She gave it everything she had in the trials, and retired gracefully (satisfied with the process, and her career).
* Tennis players
* AFL (Australian Football League) coaches, recruiting staff, players
* Cricketers
* Softball players
* Swimmers
* Track and Field athletes
* Triathletes
* Soccer players
* Netball players
My 'trickiest' cases have been where I've worked with more than one client (different sports) who has been raped by her coach, and supported the player and her family. My 'worst' experiences (thankfully few) have been where a client shows no insight into their behavour or thoughts (and doesn't want to change). I love working with active thinkers who want to improve themselves.
One of my most 'successful' sport psychology experiences came from working with an experienced rower who had represented Australia in the past and wanted to try to make selection for the Sydney Olympics so she could compete in front of her 'home crowd'. Her choices were: be selected (not in her control), or retire. She gave it everything she had in the trials, and retired gracefully (satisfied with the process, and her career).
I don't do testimonials.
Degrees
1. PhD (Monash)
2. Master of Education (Monash)
3. Graduate Diploma (Psychology) (Monash)
4. Bachelor of Science (Monash), majoring in psychology and physiology
I'm a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and a founding member of the College of Sport Psychologists (CoSP). I've served on the National and State executive committees of CoSP, as well as the State branch of the APS.
I have a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (a requirement for teaching in the TAFE system of tertiary education).
I've been a practicing sport psych since 1986. Check out my web page for details (eg. publications, interests and career highlights).
1. PhD (Monash)
2. Master of Education (Monash)
3. Graduate Diploma (Psychology) (Monash)
4. Bachelor of Science (Monash), majoring in psychology and physiology
I'm a member of the Australian Psychological Society (APS) and a founding member of the College of Sport Psychologists (CoSP). I've served on the National and State executive committees of CoSP, as well as the State branch of the APS.
I have a Certificate IV in Training and Assessment (a requirement for teaching in the TAFE system of tertiary education).
I've been a practicing sport psych since 1986. Check out my web page for details (eg. publications, interests and career highlights).
I'm a Mum to two terrific sons and a wife to a wonderful husband. I'm proud of all my boys. The eldest son is in an elite gymnasics program, and that involves a lot of driving to and from training. The youngest son has seen the big hours the other does and says "that's not for me" and I respect that. My husband has long hours at a challenging and interesting job, and we get invited to some great events around Melbourne as a result (one of the perks). Around all that, I fit in my career as best I can! Currently, I'm a sessional lecturer and I work from home as a sport psych.
I'm a terrible cook and housework is't a priority for me. I manage to have fun by reading, and I love going to aquarobics and deep water running classes at Waves Aquatic Centre close to home (6 sessions a week). I'm also a church attending Anglican, and I support Carlton Football Club (in Australian rules footy; 'go the mighty Blues!') and the Victorian Bushrangers (in cricket).
My hobby is filming events, editing them, and turning them into DVDs. I do this mostly for my son and his team mates when they compete, but I also do this for the boys' school when I film their concerts etc to raise money for The Friends of the Performing Arts (a committee of which I am a member). I can't live without my Mac! I'm known as 'gadget girl' in my family. I can't live without Foxtel, either (although I never thought I would say that) but there's nothing better than watching footy and cricket live if you can't actually be there in person.
I live in 'the sports capital of the world' - Melbourne, Australia - so I'm a happy little Vegemite!
I'm a terrible cook and housework is't a priority for me. I manage to have fun by reading, and I love going to aquarobics and deep water running classes at Waves Aquatic Centre close to home (6 sessions a week). I'm also a church attending Anglican, and I support Carlton Football Club (in Australian rules footy; 'go the mighty Blues!') and the Victorian Bushrangers (in cricket).
My hobby is filming events, editing them, and turning them into DVDs. I do this mostly for my son and his team mates when they compete, but I also do this for the boys' school when I film their concerts etc to raise money for The Friends of the Performing Arts (a committee of which I am a member). I can't live without my Mac! I'm known as 'gadget girl' in my family. I can't live without Foxtel, either (although I never thought I would say that) but there's nothing better than watching footy and cricket live if you can't actually be there in person.
I live in 'the sports capital of the world' - Melbourne, Australia - so I'm a happy little Vegemite!
