Have you ever met someone and instantly connected with them? We sure hope so- it’s a great feeling. Yesterday Dr. Barbakoff had the pleasure of meeting (and instantly connecting) with Marisa Elbers to find out more about her approach. She is a multi-talented Performance Coach utilizing sports psychology to help Elite athletes reach their full potential.
They chatted about all things health and performance related. Really, their meeting was an extra hour long because when people speak on topics they’re passionate about, the time really slips away. The highlights are below:
- In order to reach peak performance, athletes MUST receive a functional evaluation to see which areas of their brain and body, if any, are working sub-optimally, causing deficits in athletic output. Just because you are strong or fast does not mean you are functioning at your best.
A functional evaluation can expose areas of weakness that can lead to future injury. Strengthening the body and the brain’s neurological integrity are both equally important when aiming to prevent injury. - Customized care, specific to the individual patient/athlete is required.
(Especially with post-concussion rehab) - In order to reach peak performance, athletes MUST utilize a performance coach to facilitate interoception, or the ability to “look” inward and FEEL what is happening in their body and ultimately what to do about it. Creating appropriate goals and mental habits based on your functional exam results can help you perform at a higher level.
- In order to cope with limitations from an injury, athletes MUST have a qualified team of practitioners that address not just the physical injury, but also the mental, emotional, and psychosocial aspects of chronic pain and disability. We want you to know you are not alone in your recovery and the way you’re thinking and feeling is completely valid. We are here to help and support you through this process!
Our team @ OBC is excited to collaborate with Marisa in the future and offer cutting edge mental skills services to our patients!
