Facilitating Psychological Recovery of Student Athletes at Post-Injury

Abstract

This paper intends to propose a counseling program for collegiate student-athletes who need psychological intervention following their sport injuries. The proposed program consists of three phases: Assessment Phase, Intervention Phase, and Termination and Maintaining Changes Phase. It is anchored to two important evidence-based frameworks – the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Framework and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). Using CBT techniques, the program will attempt to regulate an injured athlete’s negative emotions such as anxiety and fear to develop positive and helpful cognitions, to help the client establish clear and defined post-injury goals and to impact some behavioral improvements in the injured athlete’s adherence to recovery goals. Consequently, it will also target to facilitate the development of two of the five core competencies being promoted by the SEL Framework namely self-awareness and self-management.