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A sports psychologist is a professional who helps athletes and coaches to improve their performance, manage stress, and develop mental toughness. They use psychological principles to help athletes reach their goals in sport. Sports psychologists work with athletes of all ages and levels of experience, from amateur to professional. Sports psychologists focus on helping athletes understand the psychological aspects of sport such as motivation, confidence, goal setting, concentration, communication skills, team dynamics and dealing with pressure. They also help athletes identify areas for improvement in order to maximize performance. Sports psychologists may provide individual or group counseling sessions as well as workshops for teams or organizations. Sports psychologists use a variety of techniques including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), relaxation training, imagery/visualization techniques and biofeedback to help athletes achieve peak performance. CBT focuses on changing negative thought patterns that can lead to poor performance while relaxation training teaches the athlete how to relax during competition or practice so they can stay focused on the task at hand. Imagery/visualization techniques involve mentally rehearsing successful performances while biofeedback measures physiological responses such as heart rate and muscle tension in order to teach the athlete how to control them during competition or practice. In addition to providing counseling services for individual athletes or teams, sports psychologists may also be involved in research projects related to sport psychology topics such as motivation or team dynamics. They may also consult with coaches about strategies for improving team morale or developing effective communication between players and coaches.