Zeljka: Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Nikola: I was born in Belgrade, Serbia. During my sophomore year of high school, I moved to the United States, after which I moved to the Netherlands and then came back to the US. I attended Clark University in Massachusetts for my undergraduate studies and Boston University for my graduate studies. Upon graduation, I worked in Florida at a tennis academy and then moved to the Netherlands working for the United Nations. After that, I came back to Connecticut working at another tennis academy as the Director of Sport Psychology. I am currently working with two tech startups and with players on the WTA Tour as part of my private practice. An interesting fact about me is that I have a background in acting. I chose to combine both worlds, acting and sport psychology.

Zeljka: What sparked your interest in the field of sport psychology?

Nikola: Two things sparked my interest: the natural ability and love of working with people. Naturally, people would come to me for advice as they felt they wouldn’t be judged and could share how they felt. I experienced joy in helping them. Secondly, I experienced performance anxiety myself in tennis and was able to overcome it. Specifically, I attended an American high school in the Netherlands, which allowed me to compete on a tennis team against other American schools in Europe, while being surrounded with expatriate teammates like myself. This exposure to the multicultural environment and the psycho-social interaction between all of our personalities and mentalities allowed me to gain a different perspective on how people viewed tennis. I felt accepted and free to share challenges with my team as anxiety was no longer only mine to bear. In turn, this impacted my performance in a facilitative way, as I was developing skills to understand and befriend my nerves.

Zeljka: Great to hear about your background and what sparked your interest in the field. Could you tell us more about how your international experiences shaped your current work?

Nikola: I think it is just understanding where people are coming from. For example, the language, the family, the environment, the city, the neighborhood, etc. Then, diving into how it connects to the performance challenges and things they are trying to work on. Even if you have never left your country, these experiences still shape who you are. Understanding ‘person first, athlete second’ philosophy is of utmost importance. All of us are from somewhere and part of a larger system, which affects who we interact with others and develop expectations for our own performance. International work is super interesting; it helps you gain better understanding of the person and what they may be going through.

Zeljka: Now that you’re working in the United States, do you think these international experiences enable you to relate better to different people and personalities? How does the sum of your experiences make you a better consultant working with a variety of athletes?

Nikola: Yes, I think all the combined experiences combined are super valuable. Being an ex-pat is a little bit easier being in the US compared to other countries, especially being close to New York, which is such a melting pot. Also, the American mentality, with people being open to different cultures and learning about people from different places, makes it facilitative to learning from different perspectives. That speaks a lot about the country and the people in general. It is the opportunity to choose your own dream. I have learned a lot from my experiences, and they certainly have molded my own professional style.

Zeljka: Do you have any suggestions or tips for students who are considering studying abroad and pursuing a career in the field of sport and performance psychology?

Nikola: Keep an open mind for all the people that you meet. Create space to learn and understand who that person is, their perspectives, cultures, points of view, etc. Also, be open minded to yourself, develop your own voice, and be honest to yourself. Additionally, keep meeting people who have similar professional pursuits. Networking is important. Other things to consider are connecting with others, finding alignment, and then deciding what you like or don’t like, being open minded for others and yourself, and being flexible in the application of your work, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Zeljka: I was thinking as you were talking about the different experiences: Were you able to notice any differences in how people work, teach, or do research in Europe versus the United States?

Nikola: Practical work – I would say, it depends where you are and the country you reside in. I think the differences could be in the way practitioners are educated in doing the applied work. All my education was here in the US. A couple of key things I was taught are observing and being present, visible, open minded enough to understand the culture and language before you say anything. I love spending time with athletes and trying to understand what they need my help with. Perhaps in Europe, people are taught more systematically, this is what to do and not to do, maybe a little bit more of a protocol. Whereas in the US, at least where I obtained education, we were taught to be flexible first and then you will find your own style. At the end of the day, it depends who you work with – some athletes prefer structure. Others may prefer more of a go-with-the-flow approach. You have to be aware of how you were taught and who your audience is.

Zeljka: Do you feel that people in the US are more open to or aware of sport psychology?

Nikola: I would say yes, in very broad terms. You know, the way sport psychology practitioners are integrated into various teams (sports, corporate, military, etc.) is something that’s been growing in the US. In Europe, these options are being explored. When you look at how many universities are offering different psychology study options (i.e., clinical, counseling, sport) across the world, I would say we are still trying to educate people on what we do exactly, which might be a constant dynamic. The fact that we live in an ever-changing world can be a good way for us to promote sport and performance psychology from scientific, educational, and applied points of view. I am excited to see where the future takes us as we continue to share, connect, expand our field, and celebrate a diverse range of practitioner mentalities.

Zeljka: Any memories you want to share about AASP?

Nikola: To me, AASP’s Annual Conference may be my favorite time of the year because we get to be in the same place, brainstorm ideas, share the newest research, feel the vibe from colleagues, and talk about a variety of topics. It is phenomenal to learn, grow, and spend time with each other. It has always been very inspiring. My batteries are recharged after the AASP conference each year. It gives me a boost of knowledge and inspiration.

Zeljka: Any final thoughts you would like to share with international professionals or students who are exploring careers in sport psychology?

Nikola: Here is the thing: I feel like the big advantage of the work we do is the fact that we have the educational background first, so by default you are taught to look at the person. Whether it is in the US or any other country, educational and scientific background enables you to help a specific group that we serve, which is what differentiates us from other types of coaches. There is a lot of value here in terms of education, research, hours put in, certifications obtained, thesis defended, standing proud, and voicing the differences and the values. This is especially important when working with diverse populations. When you combine your variety of experiences with who you are as a practitioner, you get this beautiful set of expertise.