Making a Long Story Short: A Practical Workshop for Using Anecdotal Stories to Facilitate Mental Skills among Athletes

Stories have been a form of communication since ancient times. Even the holy Bible, one of the oldest books in history, is based on oral stories that were passed from generation to generation. The usage of narratives as an educational tool was recognized by the Argentinean psychotherapist Jorge Bucay who has published several books on this matter (e.g., Déjame que te cuente, 2002). Therefore, the purpose of this workshop is to introduce the concept of using short and anecdotal stories as a valuable and unique tool that sport psychology consultants can utilize when presenting, exemplifying, and discussing mental skills and aspects with athletes. The workshop will be comprised of two active stages. At the first stage, groups will be formed and stories will be distributed. Each group will then discuss amongst themselves means to facilitate mental skills in athletes by incorporating ideas from their specific story. During the second stage, groups will exchange stories as well as views pertaining to how these stories can serve to enhance their work with athletes. Furthermore, workshop attendees will be encouraged to share additional stories through which mental skills can be demonstrated or facilitated in individual or team sessions.