Mindful Sport Performance Podcast

Ep. 39: Drs. Jen Schumacher & Kat Longshore - US Military Academy Center for Enhanced Performance

Dr. Keith Kaufman & Dr. Tim Pineau Season 3 Episode 9

In this episode, Drs. Jen Schumacher and Kat Longshore join the conversation.

Jen is the Assistant Director of the Performance Psychology Program at West Point where she works with cadets and Division I athletes on the psychological aspects of elite performance. She is a professional speaker and provides individual training for elite performers, ultra-endurance athletes, and Fortune 100 executives.

Kat joined the Center for Enhanced Performance in 2020 as a performance-enhancement specialist and lecturer. She works with cadets and core squad athletes on their mental game to perform at their best when it matters most. Prior to joining CEP, Kat worked in her private practice, MoniKat Coaching. 

Kat begins the episode with a centering breath meditation, and then Jen and Kat talk with Keith and Tim about:

9:23 - What their day-to-day life is like as performance psychologists at West Point

12:57 - The challenges of offering performance psychology services to not only athletic teams, but also other groups of cadets on campus

16:38 - The Mental Training Paradox and managing the felt time constraints as a reason why athletes do not do more mental skills training

25:16 - The importance of collaboration in integrating mental skills training on a college campus

26:40 - How mindfulness, compassion, and gratitude training is received in a military environment

34:05 - What does compassion look like in real life?

35:07 - The benefits of Jen and Kat's embedded positions at West Point

38:57 - Assessment and effectiveness of their CEP programming

42:00 - Training cadets to respond versus react as a way of integrating mindfulness into military culture

Social Media Mentioned:

Twitter: @mindfulsportdoc

Instagram: @mindful_sport_podcast, @armywp_cep

YouTube: Mindful Sport Performance Podcast

CEP Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/armywp_cep/

Websites Mentioned:

www.westpoint.edu/centers-and-research/center-for-enhanced-performance


www.westpoint.edu


www.ceptutoring.com


www.jenschumacher.com


www.monikatcoaching.com

www.mindfulsportperformance.org

www.enduromind.com


Remember to rate our podcast and subscribe to our YouTube Channel! 

Very much appreciated, 

Keith & Tim

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