POSITION STATEMENT
What a Certified Mental Performance Consultant Is:
A Certified Mental Performance Consultant® (CMPC) is a professional service provider in applied sport and performance psychology. The field of performance psychology as it relates to high performance sport is defined as (Portenga et al., 2017, p.52):
- The application of psychological principles of human performance in helping athletes consistently perform in the upper range of their capabilities and more thoroughly enjoy the sport performance process. Sport psychology practitioners are uniquely trained and specialized to engage in a broad range of activities including the identification, development, and execution of the mental and emotional knowledge, skills, and abilities required for excellence in athletic domains; the understanding, assessment, and managing of the psychological, cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and psychophysiological inhibitors of consistent, excellent performance; and the improvement of athletic contexts to facilitate more efficient development, consistent execution, and positive experiences in athletes.
The CMPC credential demonstrates to clients, employers, colleagues, and the public at large that an individual has met the highest standards of professional practice, including completing a combination of educational, mentored experience and work requirements, successfully passing a certification exam, agreeing to adhere to ethical principles and standards, and committing to ongoing professional development (see CMPC Candidate Handbook). The Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP) and the Canadian Sport Psychology Association (CSPA) provide oversight of CMPC practice.