Case: “I am not just my medals.” Logotherapy in working with the burnout of a young synchronized swimmer
Request: Ira (name changed), 12 years old, professional synchronized swimming. Complaints of an overwhelming fear of performances and a complete loss of motivation. At the same time, Ira faced real physical discomfort typical for this sport: during practices, her vision would fade, and her legs would literally stop responding. Overcoming these symptoms required immense resources, and at some point, the child stopped understanding — what was it all for?
What was the essence of the problem?
Ira faced what is known in psychology as existential vacuum — a loss of meaning in the challenging daily work. She completely identified herself with her results. The formula was strict: “I = my result.” If she performed poorly, she felt “bad.” Everything depended on the judges' scores: both the perception of others and her self-perception.
When Ira ceased to see the meaning in her training, her psyche began to “switch off.” The physical symptoms, which are normal for professional sports, began to seem unbearable since she lost the understanding of their significance.
How we worked (logotherapeutic approach):
- Search for meanings (What for?). This became the foundation. We searched for the answer to the question: “What is the most important reason you jump into the water when your body no longer listens?” Without meaning, any work with fear is useless. Ira found her values: the joy of creating beauty and an inner strength that we named her “core.” As soon as Meaning emerged, the readiness to overcome herself appeared.
- Externalization of fear (separating the problem from personality). We separated fear from the athlete herself. We understood that fear had become too “anxious” and filled all space. We acknowledged that fear has an important function — it attempts to protect, but there was too much of it. By separating fear, Ira was able to engage in dialogue with it and independently adjust herself.
- Polishing of composure. We explored her state before entering the competition, “polishing” composure like a diamond. We learned to model this state, understanding that jitters are not weakness, but mobilization of spirit (activating all internal forces for an important task).
- Right to make mistakes through therapeutic alliance. For Ira, it was important to see that the world does not collapse due to imperfections. Once, I made a mistake and missed our appointment. We used this in therapy: by discussing my feelings and her reactions, we removed the mask of “perfection” from both the psychologist and the client. Ira realized: making mistakes is okay, it's human, and it doesn’t make you any worse.
- Attribution of achievements. We began to document her real successes. Ira started to see not only her mistakes but also her victories. This helped her move from “fear of mistakes” to “desire to show results.” A mistake became just an experience, not a catastrophe.
Outcome and dynamics:
We managed to shift sports from the category of “obligation” to personal choice. Ira still learns to notice “micro-joys” outside the pool. She began to see life not only in training but outside of it, realizing that joy exists in life itself. She discovered that she is not just an athlete (that is only one of her roles), but a person with many other interests.
Tension has begun to be replaced by confidence. The physical symptoms (shortness of breath, heaviness in the legs) remain part of sports, but now they have become for Ira an opportunity for overcoming and achievement. She felt truly strong, realizing that she can overcome physical discomfort for her Meaning.
Ira realized an important truth: “My value as a person remains unchanged, regardless of my place on the podium.” There is much work to do ahead, but what Ira has accomplished is a huge step and real personal growth.