Amber D. Mosewich, PhD.

“Staying on Your Own Side: Self-Compassion in Dance and Performance”

Associate Professor, Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation

University of Alberta, Canada

Dr. Mosewich’s research interests focus on the examination of stress, coping, emotion, and resultant cognitive and behavioural responses within the sport domain. Her research also extends into related performance contexts, including dance. Performance contexts can present many challenges, and ensuring that individuals within these environments - including athletes, dancers, coaches, instructors, officials, and other members of the performance team - have the skills and resources to effectively manage different issues is essential to promote adaptive responses to stress and emotion and foster successful experiences that are also positive and healthy.

One area of particular interest for Dr. Mosewich surrounds self-compassion as a potential coping resource for athletes and performers. The premise is that promoting self-compassionate frames of mind might promote acceptance, acknowledgment, and accurate evaluation of challenging sport and performance situations, and attenuate ruminative or avoidant approaches, better allowing athletes and performers to move forward in pursuit of their goals and highest possible level of performance.