10/12/2024
A body in movement, a mind in balance
The Sport Coach+ training in Cologne 19 to 21 November brought together a diverse group of coaches and trainers representing different sports, approaches, and experiences. The one thing they all shared was an interest in the overlap between sport and mental health. Natascha Hartl from Kaiserslautern personifies both the mix of experiences and a deep engagement in sport and mental wellbeing.
“I have a thousand ideas and zero fear of trying something new and I think that is reflected in my educational background and professional experience”, says Natascha holding Masters of Arts (MA´s) in health management, corporate management and stress management and with professional experience as a trauma therapist and a rehab trainer in orthopedics as well as neurology.
“Despite being a competitive athlete, my preference as a sports therapist is to talk about movement. It’s important to emphasize that it’s not about efficiency and records it’s about freedom and mental balance,” says Natascha continuing: “I have a holistic approach and for me there is no separating body and mind in therapy. During a run the movement of the body, the feeling of the wind, the smell of the air sets the mind free and releases stress and it is impossible to separate one element from the others – they are all part of the same experience. I think we as trainers, therapists and patients find ourselves through movement”.
24 coaches and trainers participated in Sport Coach+ training in Cologne and each in their own way shaped and defined the outcome. “For me the most important aspect of the training was the exchange of ideas and perspectives across the different experiences of the participants. I learned from them, and I hope I gave them something back in return. Being open to new ideas is the key to growing as a coach, as a therapist and as a person,” says Natascha.
For a full overview of the Sport Coach+ approach and a breakdown of the topics that we focus on please visit our website where you can also find relevant contact information: https://zurl.co/otjjt
The initiative is implemented in partnership by the IFRC Reference Centre for Psychosocial Support, the Olympic Refuge Foundation, several Red Cross National Societies and National Olympic Committees across 8 countries.
