Workflow: 10 Lessons that Sports Can Teach Us about Enhancing Our Work and Our Lives
ABOUT THE PROGRAM:
We have heard of the concept of flow, or a state of being singularly focused on the present moment that brings about great performances in sports. But how does flow manifest at work and in our lives? What can the lessons of sport performance teach us about dealing with anxiety, suffering, resistance, motivation, and values?
Dr. Steve Smith, professor of clinical psychology at UCSB and licensed psychologist (PSY20096), will describe 10 essential lessons that you can use to find greater fulfillment at work, in relationships, and in the choices you make. This lively talk will merge the latest in psychological research with real lessons that Dr. Smith has learned from working with athletes and other high performers.
SPEAKER:
Steve Smith, Ph.D.
I am a licensed clinical psychologist (PSY20096) and Associate Professor in the Department of Counseling, Clinical, and School Psychology at UCSB.
My background in psychology is broad and varied. I was trained in child clinical psychology at the University of Arkansas where I also specialized in personality assessment. I completed my internship and post-doctoral fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School where I specialized in clinical neuropsychology and child clinical psychology. After training, I served as the Director of Consultation Neuropsychology for Mass General Hospital and worked with children and adults dealing with bereavement and loss. Seeking more time for research and teaching, I joined the faculty of UCSB in 2004. I have authored more than 50 peer-reviewed articles and chapters as well as five books. I am a Fellow of the Society for Personality Assessment, member of Division 47 (Sport and Exercise) of the American Psychological Association, and have held offices in several national organizations.
After I achieved tenure at UCSB, I shifted my focus to the psychological needs of athletes and those involved in sports. I served as the consulting psychologist to the Division I Department of Athletics at UCSB and began a private practice (Sport Psychology and Research Center) where I continue to work with professional and collegiate athletes and their families. I have grown increasingly interested in the psychological needs of boys and men and the ways that psychotherapy can be adapted for male clients. As a child psychologist, one of my primary interests is healthy sport participation for children and families. I have presented widely on issues of sport specialization, youth sports, and boyhood and masculinity. My students and I are currently working on projects to explore identity development in young athletes.
I am a former Cat 2 cyclist and lifelong endurance athlete. After fighting a losing battle with femoral artery endofibrosis in 2012, I retired from cycling and found a love for running. I'm an active competitor in trail running and have competed in distances from 5k to 50 miles. When I'm not in the office, I'm probably in the woods.