ABSTRACT
Listening is a rare happening among human beings. This chapter focuses on the applied sport psychology intake as relationship building and information gathering, relatively free from assessments. Protocols for client intakes commonly include an assessment schedule. Engaging some level of commitment from the client is part of the professional’s art. Most athlete clients are initially like a wet bar of soap – hold too loosely and it slips away; grasp too tightly and it squirts off. Thus, the intake becomes incredibly important for establishing rapport and forging a working alliance. Some professionals may meet athletes in a traditional office setting, but this is often not the case in applied sport psychology. Commonly, consulting interactions are held in and around performance venues, training spaces, dorms, airports, hotels, cafes, etc. Unlike the case in many mental health settings, sport psychology clients rarely have accompanying files or records of psychological work.
