It’s not about Deficits, it’s about being your Best

Client Case Study: Sport Psychologist, Dr. Justin Anderson

Dr Anderson, a Licensed Psychologist who leads his Minnesota based practice, knows the value of this distinction. With exceptional academic credentials from University of Minnesota-Duluth (undergraduate), Boston University (Master’s), University of St. Thomas (Doctorate), extensive experience from his employment with several NCAA Division I Universities, and his own success as a collegiate football quarterback and three-sport athlete at high school, it’s no surprize his services are in demand by the best in athletics. If you want to be the best, you’ve got to work with the best.

Dr Anderson’s interest was sparked early. After reading the book, The Inner Game of Tennis by W. Timothy Gallwey, Dr. Anderson was inspired to look deeper into the inner workings of the mind when it came to success in sports.

“My dad invited me to read this book in high school to help me prepare for my senior year baseball season,” Dr. Anderson said.

“The book was all about concentration, and non-judgmental self-talk. It changed my life. I had a great season and was wondering why not one of my Coaches along the way had ever taught me some of these tools. I wanted to give others this wisdom.”

Dr. Anderson, through his role at Premier Sport Psychology, helps athletes achieve levels of performance they didn’t believe they could ever attain, by working on training the mind.

“Our biggest opponent is often ourselves,” he said. “Having your mind work for you, rather than against you, is the key to any elite performance. What I do is all about training the mind. Teaching athletes that they shouldn’t just leave it to chance.”

This is something Athlete Assessments’ Bo Hanson said was often the missing piece of the overall puzzle when it came to preparing athletes for success.

“We talk a lot about a holistic approach to sport which means doing everything necessary to prepare physically, from your training to your nutrition and hydration, to the technical side and getting to the point where you can successfully execute your strategies, and then the behavioral piece is preparing your mind so you understand how to get the best of yourself,” Bo Hanson said.

“Many Coaches and athletes still overly focus on the physical aspect of sporting performance at the detriment of the non-physical. There is a greater emphasis on proven physical training programs and biomechanical analysis of the equipment and technique. These physical aspects of sport are critical and they become even more valuable when combined with an effective mental training program.”

Sport psychology is the understanding of how the mind influences an athlete’s performance in their chosen sport. Understanding the importance of how the mind works is paramount to getting better results from your athletes.

According to Dr. Anderson, imperative to what he does is getting to know people and getting them to want to learn what makes them their best selves.

“I love working with highly motivated people, who are driven to succeed and who are open to learning and growth,” he said.

“Probably the most rewarding feedback we get is when a former athlete that we have worked with will send us a letter (years after we stopped working together) and share that some of the work we did with them helped to change their lives for the better. Not only out on the field, but also in life, relationships and in their career. It’s pretty powerful,”

“We feel incredibly honored and grateful to have the opportunity to work with people as they begin to understand themselves and what’s possible in their life.”

Dr. Anderson uses Athlete Assessments DISC Profiles within his practice.

“DISC is a very well established tool, but Athlete Assessments have made it all digestible for Coaches and athletes (using sport language and examples) which makes it very useful when working with our diverse group of clients,” Dr. Anderson said.

“Coaches get it and the entire system is a common language to build team communication and chemistry. Plus, Liz and Bo have been very responsive to any questions or consultative needs that we have. They clearly know their stuff and we appreciate the great/quick responses they provide.”

Walking the talk, Dr. Anderson said he was proud of his team of psychologists and the difference they had made to many athletes, and that he had ambitions to expand and build a bigger practice to continue supporting their success too.

“We have some of the best sport psychologists in the country and are very lucky to have them be a part of our group. They are taking the contracts/engagements with teams and athletes to another level. It is a lot of fun to watch them grow,” he said.

More about Dr Justin Anderson

Justin Anderson, Psy.D., LP is a Licensed Psychologist who specializes in sport psychology. He helps athletes, Coaches and teams of any level tap into their strengths to achieve more from their sport. Dr. Anderson has consulted with many athletes, Coaches and teams from across the US. Prior to opening Premier Sport Psychology in Minnesota, he was employed by several NCAA Division I Universities (in Tennessee and Texas) as a psychologist and sport psychology consultant. Dr. Anderson earned his undergraduate degree in Psychology from the University of Minnesota-Duluth, a Master’s degree in Education/Sport Psychology from Boston University, and a Doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology from the University of St. Thomas (MN). Dr. Anderson was a collegiate football quarterback at University of Minnesota-Duluth and a three-sport athlete (football, basketball, baseball) at a large Twin Cities high school. He currently trains as a runner and stays very close to the athletic domain as a consultant, participant, and a fan.

His favorite quote:

“If we miss, we learn. If we hit, we build. Either way, we are growing.”

Where to from here?

Are you a sport psychologist looking to achieve similar results with your clients? You too can take your consultancy to the next level and achieve the success that Dr Anderson has.

As a top consultant, your clients rely on you being the best in your field, knowing the true determinants of success and having access to the tools that will make the most impact when it comes to improving performance. Athlete Assessments’ DISC Profiling is the tool you need to help your clients realize their potential.

Find out more about Athlete Assessments’ Consultant Program now.

At Athlete Assessments we’re here to provide you with excellence in service and to help you be your best. If there is anything we can do to be of service, don’t hesitate to contact us.