Sport is not therapy, but it is therapeutic. With Vanessa Olmos from Sauc Psicologia.

At Eholo Voices, we give a platform to the psychologists in our community to learn about how they work, what brought them here, and how they envision the future of the profession. Today, we’re speaking with Vanessa, a general health and sports psychologist who leads Saüc Psicologia.

Vanessa opened her practice in Caldes de Montbui 20 years ago. There, she supports children, adolescents, and adults through clinical and sports psychology. Beyond being a psychologist, she is a mother, a partner, and a recreational runner, and those facets are reflected in her way of working.

A practical approach, focused on the present

From the early years of her career, Vanessa was clear that she wanted to work using cognitive-behavioral therapy. She defines herself as a very practical person. She believes that what happened in the past helps us understand how we act, feel, and think today, but that the present is where we truly have room for action.

Even so, she doesn't close herself off to other approaches. Systemic therapy has helped her in specific sessions to understand and work through certain situations. When we asked her to summarize it in one sentence, she was clear: cognitive-behavioral therapy.

Taking the plunge

Her biggest professional challenge was opening her own practice. To practice clinical psychology, she explains, she had two paths: prepare for the PIR exam to secure a public position or bet on a private practice.

She first worked in established practices, but she felt she had little room to do things her own way and support her patients as she believed she should. That’s why she decided to take the leap. She looked for a space and started talking about her new project. Being a familiar face in her town helped her a lot, thanks to her involvement in various areas and her work as a monitor and tutor at a school.

For 15 years, she combined her practice with other jobs, such as working as a psychologist in schools and nursing homes. Her best moment came when she was able to dedicate herself exclusively to her practice and her patients.

Outreach through psychology and sports

Vanessa manages two Instagram profiles. On one, she talks about health and sports psychology from her practice. On the other, she shares her athletic life under a motto that defines her: sport is not therapy, but it is therapeutic. Her goal is to motivate and raise awareness about the importance of mental health for general well-being.

She started years ago, although it was during the lockdown that she gave it a definitive boost. Today, her profiles include a virtual book club, the space Coffeesport, where she interviews health professionals about the importance of sports, and Coffeebreak, where she talks with healthcare professionals about topics like laughter therapy or group dynamics.

The future of the profession

Vanessa believes that psychology is becoming increasingly normalized and that people are less afraid to talk about mental health, so its presence will continue to grow. She welcomes many of the new trends, provided they are carried out by licensed and properly registered professionals, and she hopes that professional malpractice will be increasingly identified.

And how does she imagine her practice five years from now? Very similar to today: helping people lead a life of well-being. Not a life without problems, but one with the tools to face day-to-day life.

What it means to be part of the Eholo community

For Vanessa, Eholo is synonymous with peace of mind. It’s not just that it makes managing her practice easier; it’s that it allows her to be part of a community of professionals who often face the same challenges and who, by talking, advising, and supporting one another, make day-to-day life simpler.

If she had to complete the sentence “For you, Eholo is…”, her answer would be: peace of mind and quality of life.

What’s more, her journey to Eholo has an interesting backstory: she discovered it through Lorena Cos, author of Perder también es de campeones, one of the books that has inspired her most lately.

Beyond the practice

We also asked her about her role models and sources of inspiration. Among the books she reads and rereads, she highlights Perder también es de campeones, by Lorena Cos; Neurodivina y punto, by Sara Codina; and Open, by Andre Agassi, as well as anything by Patri Psicóloga. As for podcasts, she mainly listens to sports content, though she recently discovered Entre nosotras and enjoys Madres y Musas.

If she weren’t a psychologist, she would likely be writing or playing sports. She enjoys writing articles for magazines, running, reading, and spending time with her children.

The motto she has adopted also comes from Agassi: “Control what you can control”. For her, it is a key to living with peace of mind.

And if she could have dinner with anyone, she would choose Freud. Not because she shares his psychoanalytic approach, but because she is certain it would be a fascinating conversation with the father of many psychological concepts.

Regarding her professional influences, she prefers not to pick just one name. Although she works alone in her practice, she indirectly surrounds herself with many highly valued professionals, and she chooses to focus on those who add value to her profession and her colleagues.

Thank you, Vanessa, for sharing your story with us. 💙

‍

👉 Discover more about Vanessa in our Instagram post here

‍