IFS Informed Emotional Intelligence Training in a Team Sport Context – The “What” and the “Why”

Ability emotional intelligence (EI) has been defined as the ability to monitor one’s own and others’ feelings and emotions, to recognize their impact and to guide one’s thinking and actions to productively solve problems and regulate behavior (Salovey & Mayer, 1990). The four branches of EI were determined in 1997 by Salovey & Mayer to be 1) perceiving emotion, 2) facilitating thought using emotion, 3) understanding emotion and, 4) managing emotion. The goal of emotional intelligence training is to enhance intrapersonal and interpersonal communication. This is an important skill in a sport context because research has determined that improving intrapersonal and interpersonal communication seems to be a key factor in improving team cohesion, resulting in enhanced athletic performance. (Hodge et al, 2014) (Chan et al, 2011).

Based on my experience delivering IFS Informed Emotional Intelligence training sessions to university level men’s and women’s rugby teams, together with the feedback received from the athletes that received the training, Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a tool that enables varsity athletes to hone intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills. The principles of IFS coincide nicely with the branches of EI. Perceiving emotion in IFS is recognizing that a Part is reacting, and is in the seat of consciousness (which I described to athletes as their inner control panel) as opposed to True Self. Facilitating thought using emotion in IFS is twofold: being aware of the thoughts and behavioral reactions which emanate from a Part or emotion (such as an Inner Critic), and knowing what thoughts and actions will promote a Part to step aside and allow the player’s True Self share in creating a productive response. Understanding emotion in IFS is recognizing why a Part is acting the way it is. Where did the Part learn to react this way? When did the Part start protecting in this manner? Managing emotion in IFS is the quest for Self- leadership, which redirects dysfunctional behavior or reactions to a more productive and beneficial response. When an athlete is also aware of emotions, the reactions they elicit, and the subsequent anticipated behavior in others, this will enhance interpersonal communication and the ability to modulate their own actions and responses to elicit a productive and beneficial outcome in themselves and others in any given situation.

Let’s put this into a real life situation. A baseball batter strikes out (this is the event which results in the emotion, an internal activator in that the player’s performance was sub optimal, along with the external negative consequence of another out in the inning.) There are feelings of disappointment, anger, frustration (emotions that arise in reaction to the event of striking out) and the player is self-critical upon return to the bench (an internal and often counterproductive negative response.) This player may also have one or more physiological responses of increased heart rate, tearing eyes or increased muscular tension. This player’s cognitive, motivational and experiential systems may determine what the next action is. Will the player be motivated to figure out what needs to be done the next at bat to perform better? Does the player have the cognitive ability to recognize what caused the strike out? And does the player have the experiential skill and emotional intelligence to regain focus and be productive? Or will self-criticism reign and create an inability to regain focus to perform better at the next at bat? Will this player have the tools to be able to have the Inner Critic become the Inner Mentor? IFS informed Emotional Intelligence training could impart that skill. Such training could support a key healthy capacity in athletes. The Inner Mentor is a healthy version of the Inner Critic (Earley and Weiss, 2013.) By integrating IFS into the team culture as a norm, a common language to communicate with, athletes and coaches have tools to activate their inner capacity to respond in healthy beneficial ways to less than optimal situations. Emotions are how individuals react to matters or situations they find personally significant. Just like any athletic skill, it takes training and practice to acquire a higher capacity to successfully execute the skills needed to be successful in sport. Offering athletes IFS Informed Emotional Intelligence training is likely to facilitate enhanced intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills, promote team cohesion and improve team performance.

Jill Mathers lives in northeastern Vermont, and has recently earned a B.A. in Sports Studies (concentrations in Health and Exercise and Athletic Development) and Psychology Minor at Bishop’s University, Lennoxville, QC, Canada. She is IFS Informed (Online Circle, and IFS Institute Continuity Program) and has practiced IFS extensively during a semester long Bishop’s University Psychology course, Contemplative Practicum, where her self-reflective practice was IFS. She is well versed in the IFS Self-therapy literature available, and has most recently developed and delivered IFS Informed Emotional Intelligence training sessions for university level varsity rugby athletes.