96. Coping with Dance Injuries and Career Transitions with Chelsea Pierotti, PhD and Guest Cohost, Jennifer Milner

Bendy Bodies with the Hypermobility MD, Dr. Linda Bluestein

In this episode, Dr. Chelsea Pierotti discusses coping with dance injuries and transitions, both from a physical and psychological perspective. She explains that the way dancers appraise their injuries and their emotional response to them can greatly impact their coping mechanisms. Dr. Pierotti emphasizes the importance of shifting the mindset from seeing an injury as a disaster to viewing it as a challenge that can be overcome. She also highlights the role of social support in the recovery process and the need for dancers to define success in ways that are within their control. Additionally, Dr. Pierotti addresses the challenges dancers face when transitioning between different forms of dance or when they have to give up dancing altogether. When transitioning out of dance, it is important to consider your values and what truly matters to you in life. This will help guide your future goals and decisions. It is also helpful to reflect on who you admire and what you admire about them, as this can highlight your own values. Grief and loss are common when leaving a dance career, and it is important to acknowledge and process these emotions. The dance world can be more supportive by adopting a positive coaching approach and focusing on the whole athlete, not just their performance. Developing mental skills and self-awareness is crucial for dancers and can be beneficial for everyone.

Takeaways

• The way dancers appraise their injuries and their emotional response to them can greatly impact their coping mechanisms.
• Shifting the mindset from seeing an injury as a disaster to viewing it as a challenge can help dancers overcome the emotional and psychological challenges of injury.
• Social support plays a crucial role in the recovery process for dancers.
• Dancers should define success in ways that are within their control, rather than relying solely on external validation.
• Transitions between different forms of dance or giving up dancing altogether can be challenging, and it's important for dancers to have a strong sense of identity beyond being a dancer. Consider your values and what truly matters to you in life when transitioning out of dance.
• Reflect on who you admire and what you admire about them to identify your own values.
• Acknowledge and process the grief and loss that comes with leaving a dance career.
• The dance world can be more supportive by adopting a positive coaching approach and focusing on the whole athlete.
• Developing mental skills and self-awareness is crucial for dancers and beneficial for everyone.

Chapters ➡

00:00 Introduction

00:54 Introducing Dr. Chelsea Pierotti

01:13 Coping with Injuries

03:38 Coping Mechanisms

06:34 The Influence of Childhood Experiences

08:29 Developing Resilience

09:48 Transitioning from Dance

12:11 The Role of Pain

13:09 Challenges Faced by Hypermobile Dancers

13:23 Supporting Dancers through Challenges

17:49 The Importance of Social Support

18:43 Grief and Loss of a Dance Career

20:34 Developing Resilience and Coping Strategies

24:57 The Importance of Values

27:52 Shifting the Dance Culture

29:25 Coping with Career Shifts

33:22 Positive Coaching Approach

35:55 Developing Mental Skills

36:51 Applying Mental Skills to Life

37:24 The Importance of Self-Awareness in Dance

38:25 Mindset: Controlling the Controllables

Connect with YOUR Bendy Specialist, Dr. Linda Bluestein, MD at https://www.hypermobilitymd.com/.

Thank YOU so much for tuning in. We hope you found this episode informative, inspiring, useful, validating, and enjoyable. Join us on the next episode for YOUR time to level up your knowledge about hypermobility disorders and the people who have them.🎧

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Learn about Dr. Pierotti:

https://chelseapierotti.com

https://instagram.com/dr.chelsea.pierotti

#Dancers #Dance #Injuries #Transitions #Grief #MentalSkills

#Hypermobility #Podcast #BendyBodiesPodcast #BendyBuddy #HypermobilityMD