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16 contributions to CMPC Mentorship Lab
7d •
A Reflection on Neutrality
Hi Friends, I wrote a reflection for Dr. Otto this week, then thought it might be a worthy discussion for the group. Below are some thoughts on an area I have been grappling with plus a few questions to you all on the matter. Looking forward to sharing thoughts together! Faye *************************************************************************************** The Canadian Sport Psychology Association code of Ethics defining Avoidance of Harm, asks that practitioners: "Are neutral while working with clients and refrain from imposing any religious, spiritual, political, or social beliefs." This measure of avoiding harm can be a delicate line for a practitioner like myself who is oriented with Liberation Psychology foundations. Liberation Psychology practitioners are interested in, and positioned to support clients in the interrogation of oppressive systems related to their performance. In a recent case, a client perceived that they were being treated by their coach in a way that was insensitive to their race and cultural background. The client observed that they were being held to a standard that was relative to a common social trope that was harmful and related to her race. Reflecting on this session, I can see how I was leaning toward demonstrating my own social and political views through my method of validating her experience. While I may not have outright offered my social or political opinions, my enthusiasm and interest in her observation may have implied my alignment. When I reflect upon maintaining neutrality, I do find there is a thinner line for those whose theoretical orientation is inherently political. Simply by understanding that one's performance experience is shaped by political and social influence, it could be said that there is inherently an absence of neutrality. With that in mind, I have considerations for how I can retain the important elements of my theoretical orientation while delivering competent and neutral service to the client. I am making the following considerations for maintaining objectivity while providing validation:
0 likes • 5d
Faye, I really appreciate your vulnerability and self-awareness in reflecting on this. I don't think neutrality means becoming emotionally detached or pretending not to see what a client is experiencing. Rather, it means resisting the urge to lead the client toward our conclusions instead of helping them arrive at their own. When a client raises concerns about discrimination or oppression, I believe our role is to validate the impact of their lived experience without imposing our own interpretation. Questions like, "How did that experience affect you?" or "What meaning are you making of that?" allow the client to remain the expert on their experience while we facilitate exploration. If a client's performance is being affected by systemic or interpersonal barriers, avoiding those conversations altogether would not be serving the client either. For me, neutrality is most important when my own values could unintentionally shape the client's narrative or decisions. Validation and neutrality are not opposites—they can coexist when our focus remains on the client's perspective, goals, and autonomy rather than our own beliefs.
0 likes • 28d
I agree that self-report questionnaires can be very useful, especially as a starting point for understanding an athlete’s perceptions, thoughts, and experiences. As you noted, their value is often tied to the athlete’s willingness to answer honestly and engage in self-reflection. I also like your mention of imagery assessments. They can provide valuable insight into how athletes mentally rehearse performance, the quality of their imagery, and whether they are using imagery effectively as part of their preparation. One point I would add is that interviews and conversations are often where the richest information emerges. Questionnaires and assessments can tell us what an athlete is experiencing, but a quality interview often helps us understand why. Combining self-report measures with observations and a strong intake interview can provide a more complete picture of the athlete and help guide intervention planning. As practitioners, I often view assessments as pieces of a puzzle rather than standalone answers. The more sources of information we can thoughtfully integrate, the better we can understand and support the athlete.
Apr 20 •
Communicating
When someone shares a challenge, do you tend to solve or explore first? How might slowing your questioning improve understanding?
0 likes • Apr 28
@Timothee Maloney This is a strong and honest reflection, and it shows good awareness of how you operate in conversations. You are doing a nice job starting with exploration and asking questions. The fact that you recognize you are also thinking ahead to solutions is important. That tells me you are engaged and trying to be helpful, which is a strength. The growth edge for you is managing that internal shift. Right now, you are exploring on the surface, but mentally you are already moving toward solving. When that happens, your questions can subtly become more directed, even if you do not intend them to be. Slowing down your questioning helps you stay fully with the athlete’s experience instead of your interpretation of it. It allows you to hear not just the information, but the meaning behind what they are saying. That is where the real issue usually lives. You said it well yourself. When you take more time to listen and let the person fully explain, you catch things you would otherwise miss. That is exactly the point. Better understanding leads to better support, not faster answers. A simple adjustment is to delay acting on your solutions. Let them sit in the background while you stay in curiosity just a little longer than feels natural. That is often where the most important insight shows up.
0 likes • Apr 28
@Timothee Maloney This is a strong and honest reflection, and it shows good awareness of your tendencies in conversation. You are doing a nice job starting with exploration and asking questions. The fact that you notice yourself thinking ahead to solutions is important. That tells me you are engaged and trying to be helpful, which is a strength. The growth edge for you is managing that internal pull toward solving. Even if your questions sound exploratory, when your mind is already moving to solutions, they can become slightly leading without you realizing it. Slowing down your questioning helps you stay fully in the athlete’s experience rather than your interpretation of it. It allows you to hear not just the details, but the meaning behind what they are saying. That is usually where the real issue lives. You said it well. When you take more time to listen and let the person fully explain, you pick up on things you would otherwise miss. That is exactly what leads to better support. A simple next step is to let your solutions sit in the background a little longer and stay in curiosity just beyond what feels comfortable. That is often where the most important insight shows up.
Jan 19 •
Role, Identity & Ethics
How would you explain the CMPC role to a coach in one clear paragraph without using clinical language?
0 likes • Apr 28
@Tanelle Smith This is a strong and coach-friendly explanation of the CMPC role. You are doing a great job making it practical, relatable, and grounded in performance. The comparison to a strength and conditioning coach is especially effective. That is language coaches immediately understand and respect. You also clearly outlined what you help with in a way that feels concrete and useful. Confidence, focus, pressure, routines, and bouncing back are all areas coaches care about, and you connected them directly to performance. I really like that you addressed boundaries. Stating that you are not evaluating athletes and clarifying confidentiality shows professionalism and helps build trust with both the coach and the athletes. The one adjustment I would encourage is softening the line about not being part of the coaching staff. While it is important to clarify your role, you still want to position yourself as someone who collaborates with the coach rather than sitting outside the system. You can maintain boundaries while still reinforcing that you are aligned with the team’s goals. You might also slightly tighten the ending. Instead of focusing only on performing at their best, you could emphasize consistency under pressure, which often resonates more with coaches.
0 likes • Apr 28
@Corel Anthony This is a strong, clear explanation and it lands well for a coach audience. You are keeping it simple, performance-focused, and aligned with what coaches care about. The phrase “help your athletes get out of their own way” is relatable and will resonate. I like that you emphasize supporting what the coach is already doing rather than replacing it. That positions you as a partner instead of a disruption, which is important in building trust. Your focus areas are also right on target. Confidence, focus, handling pressure, and consistency are exactly the outcomes coaches are looking for, and you are connecting your role directly to those. The one small adjustment I would encourage is to be careful with the opening phrase. While “get out of their own way” is relatable, some coaches may interpret that as the athlete being the problem. You might slightly soften it to keep the tone fully supportive. You could also add a brief mention of how you work, such as training mental skills the same way physical skills are trained. That reinforces your role as developmental rather than reactive.
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@wendell-otto-6222
Wendell Otto, Ed.D., CMPC is a sport psychology practitioner, educator, and author helping athletes build resilience, focus, and performance skills.
Active 13h ago
Joined Dec 25, 2025