CPS partners in Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation with Health Professions Divisions

Noting the increasing interest in sport and exercise psychology as well as the utility of psychological interventions in sports medicine and physical rehabilitation, NSU’s Center for Psychological Studies and the College of Osteopathic Medicine have partnered to create a unique, jointly appointed faculty position in sport psychology.

In August, 2007, Dr. Stephen A. Russo joined the CPS faculty as an Assistant Professor and was also appointed as the Director of Sport Psychology for the NSU Sports Medicine Clinic within the Department of Osteopathic Principles and Practice. With the addition of Dr. Russo, CPS become one of only a handful of doctoral-level clinical psychology programs to offer opportunities for training and research in sport psychology. Dr. Russo joins the CPS faculty as an accomplished and internationally-respected authority on sport psychology. He is a licensed, clinical psychologist who has worked with top athletes from a variety of sports. And, as an active member of the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and the Sport and Exercise Division (47) of the American Psychological Association, Dr. Russo has worked extensively with elite athletes, coaches, and teams at the high school, college, and professional level.

The primary objectives for the NSU Sport Psychology program include:

-Teaching athletes, coaches, and teams about the effective use of psychological skills in their pursuit of athletic excellence.

-Providing sport medicine professionals with alternative treatment options when assisting patients in their recovery from physical injury.

-Creating training opportunities for psychologists-in-training who have an interest in sport, exercise, and health-related interventions.

-Conducting psychological research in the areas of sport and exercise psychology and also engaging in collaborative research projects with professionals in osteopathic medicine, physical therapy, sports medicine, and athletic training.

It is expected that clinical and research opportunities in sport psychology will be available in many of the following areas:

-Sports injury, rehabilitation, and recovery
-Pre-competitive stress management
-Goal setting and motivational counseling
-Biofeedback and psycho-physiological monitoring
-Emotional and cognitive regulation
-Visualization and imagery
-Psychological characteristics associated with exercise and athletic performance
-Coaching and parental influences