Navigating Critical Moments in Practice

A limited amount of research has acknowledged how practitioners’ personal and professional identities are intertwined and the human element of sport psychology delivery is often overlooked. Alignment of these identities is important for both the practitioner and the quality of service delivery. As practitioners become more expert, alignment is said to increase through the individuation process which includes how effectively practitioners fit within their environment. This chapter provides four examples of critical moments that challenged the identities of two experienced practitioners and their ability to be authentic and congruent within their applied work. Reflections on each of the critical moments are provided with the intention that sharing these incidents will enable the reader to reflect upon and consider how they might address and manage similar incidents in their own practice.