ABSTRACT
Listening and attending skills are discussed infrequently in sport psychology. Applied research on development and application of effective relationship-building skills such as listening has occurred within the microskills approach to counseling, originally developed at Colorado State University in the late 1960s. An effective counseling relationship requires making the client feel comfortable, so that they feel safe discussing the issues that concern them. Even if an athlete approaches a practitioner for help, they may be reluctant to talk about emotional and upsetting issues. In one sense, the behavioral theories of B. F. Skinner could be said to underlie all attempts to influence the dialogue between counselor and client. The behavioral framework is a natural fit for a practitioner due to the strong focus on behavior change, which is a primary goal for athletes striving to improve.
