Engorged Onion
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Everything posted by Engorged Onion
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The tricky thing is, its not so much the noise that's the distraction, its the internal experience that shows up when the noise is there... that's the thing to focus on.... Time to get my nerd on... Experiential avoidance, from an Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) perspective, refers to the tendency to avoid or suppress uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, sensations, or experiences. It involves efforts to escape, minimize, or control distressing internal experiences, leading individuals to engage in behaviors that may provide short-term relief but often interfere with long-term well-being and life goals. In the context of an AFL footballer and exposure therapy with crowd noise, experiential avoidance may manifest as an athlete's attempts to avoid or suppress anxiety, fear, or performance-related thoughts and emotions associated with playing in front of a large and noisy crowd. This avoidance can lead to various unhelpful behaviors such as distraction, negative self-talk, excessive focus on performance outcomes, or even avoidance of situations that trigger anxiety, such as actively seeking to avoid playing in stadiums with boisterous crowds. The primary goal of exposure therapy is to gradually and systematically expose individuals to anxiety-provoking situations or stimuli while preventing avoidance behaviors, allowing them to develop new responses and beliefs about those situations. For an AFL footballer struggling with crowd noise, exposure therapy might involve a step-by-step process that gradually exposes the athlete to increasingly challenging crowd noise situations. Here's a possible progression: Education and psychoeducation: The athlete would be educated about the role of experiential avoidance and how it can hinder performance and well-being. They would learn about the principles of exposure therapy and how it can be helpful in managing anxiety. Creating a fear hierarchy: The athlete and their therapist would work together to create a list of crowd-related situations that provoke anxiety, starting from the least anxiety-provoking to the most challenging. For example, the hierarchy could include situations like practicing in front of a small group of people, participating in intra-club matches, or gradually playing in stadiums with increasing crowd sizes. Systematic exposure: The athlete would begin with the least anxiety-provoking situation, such as practicing in front of a small group. They would intentionally expose themselves to the crowd noise while practicing specific skills, with the therapist helping them stay present and engaged in the moment rather than avoiding or suppressing their anxiety. Over time, they would progress to more challenging situations in the fear hierarchy, gradually building resilience and tolerance to crowd noise. Mindfulness and acceptance: Alongside exposure, the athlete would be encouraged to cultivate mindfulness skills and acceptance of their internal experiences. This involves observing their thoughts and emotions without judgment, allowing them to come and go without trying to suppress or control them. Mindfulness can help the athlete stay present in the moment and avoid getting caught up in unhelpful thoughts or attempts to avoid discomfort. Values-based action: Throughout the process, the athlete would be guided to connect with their core values and commit to actions aligned with those values. This helps them develop a broader perspective on their experiences and motivates them to engage in the behaviors necessary for growth and performance, despite the discomfort associated with crowd noise. That'd be an invoice of $125,000 thanks. 😆
Kingy... and the constant weekly need for a 'statement' from a team 😆
Just a brief comment on how our perceptions are not always an accurate reflection of how tough the game here. The image below was posted on the MFC socials. Anyway it feels like tackles are low when you look at them in isolation without other relevant data points. What resonated with me in this, is that the other data points are players who are exulted by the media. His weekly efforts are enough... even if they don't always feel like it.
The red dot is what you stand on in a Ted Talk... and I guess from 'Keef', it's a reference to a Bindi.
One of my favourite Ted talks of all time :) - (have I ever mentioned I've stood on the red dot as well?)
On the appointment of Big Ange. Good to see supporter pessimism is a global phenomenon...
How do I best reconcile a loss or a tight win on Monday a) Goodwin has no plan B b) We're keeping our 'powder dry' c) They had too many players out and it's not a true reflection of a proper 'test' With thanks in advance... 😇 In all seriousness, I think it will be fascinating watch seeing two dichoitmous styles going head to head, summarised as 'all out attack' vs 'stingy grinding defence'.
There is a massive disconnect from how supporters believe a player should be totally invested all the time through the football season, versus their own lived experience of how they themselves relate to their work week, colleagues and content of work.
Who knows pickett- I was referencing the language used by CP5 and why it’s used and why it’s important to not interpret it as not caring….
There is another thread on this. The reason there is so much of the language around 'learning opportunities' - is due to to the education of coaches and players - who often refer back to Carol Dweck https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/ - and 'Growth Mindset' - - it's endemic within the AFL industry. What I know from direct experience is that whilst the coaches and players talk it ie: 'learning opportunities' its not always the lived experience of athletes.. there is a lot of growth (or learning opportunities if you will) to still occur on how to implement it within a ecosystem such as an AFL club. Anyway... What we do know however is, that the hunger and disappointment that you talk about, is not a sustainable way to relate (as an athlete and coach) to the weekly wins and losses that occur to get the best out of ourselves. It's exhausting, and depletes us both physiologically and psychologically - so that'd be the cortisol and the adrenal responses... which actually take you away from being able to perform at your optimum. Don't confuse the language around learning opportunities as 'not caring'. The athletes care far more than you or I do as a supporter - as they are under exhausting scrutiny weekly. Hope that helps provide some clarity.
Good post.. these are the nuanced machinations of the dynamics within the team you are talking about, so subtle, and so significant. As a sport psych colleague of mine who has worked with (and currently works) with the best in the business once said... the best way to build team cohesion, isn't around leadership meetings or trust exercises - its bbq's and beers at someone's house. Perhaps in this case, a 'bye' round wine bar crawl...🍷😇
I'm running a marathon today and feel it's analogous to our season. Currently in the early winter slump, going ok but slightly out of sorts, I hope by the time I cross the finish line (5pm-ish) there will be some beers lined up at the golf club and I can celebrate in style and watch the Dees tonight. We're just grinding out the marathon at the moment. Each km marker (game) is merely a snapshot at the present time as to how the team was feeling... it's not a predictor of the end result. There is going to be a lot of hurt and joy both on an individual and team level over the next 12 rounds... and then the next season begins.
