Mindful Sport Performance Podcast

Ep. 58: Facing the Yips with Matt Sughrue

Dr. Keith Kaufman & Dr. Tim Pineau Season 4 Episode 13

In this episode, elite golfer and therapist Matt Sughrue joins the conversation.

Matt was a successful insurance executive and business owner in the Washington, DC metro area for 25 years. Then, in 2008, at the age of 49, he took a major life detour and trained to become a psychotherapist and performance consultant. Among his varied clientele are amateur and professional golfers - across several pro tours. Matt is also an accomplished  golfer himself. He is the 8th ranked senior amateur in the world by The World Amateur Golf Ranking and has played in 33 major national golf championships. In November 2022, Matt  represented the USA at the Concession Cup, competing against Europe's finest senior and mid-amateur golfers. 

Matt, Tim, and Keith are all members of the Mid-Atlantic Consortium of Sport and Performance Psychology.

Matt begins the episode with a mindful awareness practice. Then he, Keith, and Tim discuss:

[8:34]  Meditation in Matt's competition experiences and the importance of "in-between" time

[14:12]  The impact of personal disclosure in Matt's work with sports clients

[17:43]  Matt's competition debrief process structure and function

[20:58]  The importance of language in the process of improvement and how it can shift perspective

[23:15]  Matt's personal experience with the yips

[37:29]  The nuances of "caring" about your sport and the implications it has for personal identity

[48:33]  Matt's approach to working with athletes who are experiencing the yips

Social Media Mentioned:

Twitter: @mindfulsportdoc

Instagram: @mindful_sport_podcast, @mspe_institute

YouTube: Mindful Sport Performance Podcast

Websites Mentioned:

www.mattsughrue.com

www.mindfulsportperformance.org

www.enduromind.com


Books Mentioned

Mindful Sport Performance Enhancement

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Very much appreciated, 

Keith, Tim, and Taylor (our producer!) 

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