The Czech Republic is a relatively small country in Central Europe; hence the educational psychology and practice system of the country aligns with that of the rest of Europe. This system differs greatly from the one I have experienced while studying and running a private practice in the United States. I hope to paint a clear picture of what the differences are and how I – a graduate from an American sport and performance psychology program, get to run my private practice and provide performance psychology services to various domains (mostly sport and corporate) in the Czech Republic.

To become a sport psychologist in the Czech Republic, which is the only credentialed way to offer mental performance / mental health services, one needs to pursue a bachelor’s and master’s degree program in (general) psychology. In Czech, individuals gain a comprehensive grasp of clinical diagnostics, counseling methods, psychotherapy, and human resources management. Standalone courses in sport psychology or mental performance enhancement are rare. Since I wanted to take a mental performance focus over a clinical focus, coming to the United States and specializing my education in sport and performance psychology was therefore the only option for me to learn about research and methodology specific to sport and performance as a student.

Since I was a graduate from an American program, it has taken a few years to have my degrees recognized and accepted by an accredited institution in the Czech Republic. During that process, I have been able to provide my services as a mental performance coach. I have been careful to not misuse the term “psychology” and so I have avoided overstepping the line of my own competency (i.e. clinical psychology, psychotherapy, etc.).

The field of sport psychology is becoming increasingly recognized and is in high demand by athletic populations. Czech Republic has its own Association of Sport Psychologists (ASP) that works to educate others about their services. The Association hosts a conference on a yearly basis, where practitioners provide presentations and workshops primarily designated to athletes and coaches. Even though the Czech ASP mostly includes graduates from the country (with education in general psychology), it welcomes graduates from specialized sport psychology schools in the USA. Attending the conference is important for international immersion within the field of sport psychology and I enjoy the cultural differences in the approach to sport psychology services.

There is still significant room for growth in the Czech Republic when it comes to broadening the field of sport psychology. For example, offering performance psychology services to other, non-sport domains, such as high-risk occupations, the corporate world, and other populations that could benefit from mental skills development. As sport psychology practitioners, we can support these domains through building resilience, prevention of mental health challenges and disorders, and personal development. However, compared to the Czech Republic, there is a greater focus on other performance domains in the United States.

I consider CMPC certification as a valuable asset to have as a practitioner providing sport psychology services, especially given the lack of specialized education in sport and performance psychology in the Czech Republic (and many other European countries). While AASP has made significant efforts to expand internationally, it is also a practitioner’s decision that needs to be made about whether they secure their competency through such a well-established certification like CMPC (or other sport psychology-focused certifications). Based on the AASP website (Find a CMPC), there are currently 15 CMPC practitioners in Europe. With only 25 practitioners certified by the FEPSAC – European Federation of Sport Psychology, it is clear that the opportunity to prove competency by obtaining certification in sport psychology is still open to a significant majority of psychology practitioners working in athletic population.