The Role of Spirituality in Sport Psychology Consulting: An Analysis and Integrative Review of Literature

Abstract

This review suggests that the concept of spirituality should be considered seriously within sport psychology research and consultancy. Four key areas are addressed: how spirituality may be reconciled into the athlete-centered model, the integration of spirituality and religious observances into mental skills training (MST), the relationship between spirituality and positive psychological states such as flow and peak experiences, and the role of spirituality in counseling. Recent work has acknowledged the importance of spirituality in consultancy work (Ravizza, 2002a) and religious beliefs and rituals for some athletes (Czech & Burke, in press). Despite extensive study in psychology, research of spirituality in sport psychology has been slow to emerge. Some of the reasons for this are discussed and suggestions made in relation to how this important concept can be integrated into research and consultancy work. Future research and theoretical work should focus on both performance enhancement and life skills development.Sport psychology consultants work with athletes who hold widely differing values and beliefs about their sporting and everyday life. Inevitably a significant number of these athletes will have spiritual or religious beliefs. Given this situation it is surprising that spirituality has received little attention in the sport psychology literature. The scientific study and acceptance of spirituality and religion has been slow to emerge in sport psychology. This is despite extensive study in our parent

Special Olympians as a “Prophetic Sign” to the Modern Sporting Babel

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