ABSTRACT
This chapter presents the argument for the use of depth sport psychology for the athlete. It focuses on the Freudian approach and how it is used to treat to individual athletes, whether they are part of a team or playing an individual sport. The essential position of depth sport psychology is that without a foundation of support and insight garnered over time, any behavioural intervention will fail. Depth sport psychology is unique in that it seeks to find what is hidden inside the athlete, which is thus far unconscious. The chapter provides some case studies to give the reader a brief feel for what occurs in the typical psychoanalysis of an athlete. It should be noted that not all athletes have the ability to work in analysis since it requires introspection, good intelligence, the ability to trust another human and to be relatively free of sociopathy and drug use.
