Episode #11: Unlocking High-Performance Part One: Insights from Dr. Desaree Festa, Sports Psychologist for the Buffalo Bills

 
 
 

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High-level sports organizations like the Buffalo Bills achieve high performance by integrating sports psychology into their training to optimize their athletes' mental wellness and performance.

This emphasis on psychological aspects reflects a broader trend among high-level athletes who understand that mental preparation and well-being are crucial components of overall success in sports and beyond.

In the first installment of this two-part episode of Mastering Momentum, Dr. Newman invites Dr. Desaree Festa, a sports psychologist for the Buffalo Bills, to discuss high performance from her unique perspective.

Dr. Festa walks listeners through her professional journey in psychology and the behind-the-scenes of what she does in her current role with the Buffalo Bills.

Listen in for valuable insights into sports psychology, and the integration of mental health and mental performance in high performance athletes and coaches. Plus, the five core psychological skills involved in sports and performance psychology, and the one key strategy that will help any athlete optimize themselves and their performance. 

What You’ll Learn 

  • [2:42] How Dr. Newman and Dr. Festa met

  • [4:58] What sports psychology is, and how it's different from other fields of psychology

  • [5:43] The distinction between mental performance and mental health in sports psychology

  • [7:17] How sports psychology optimizes both the person and the performer

  • [8:08] The five core psychological skills used in sports psychology

  • [13:30] The importance of differentiating between outcome-driven goals and performance-driven goals

  • [17:06] The importance and challenges of visualization (the fifth psychological skill) to enhance performance as a supplement to a physical practice

  • [19:47] Dr. Festa's professional journey and her role with the Buffalo Bills

  • [23:29] The integration of mental health and mental performance in sports psychology

  • [32:30] The key to any type of work in sports psychology 

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