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The paper's strength lies in its rich personal reflection on Siegel's (2020) interpersonal neurobiology (IPNB). It demonstrates an in-depth understanding of the key tenets of Siegel`s theory, including its key concepts of integration, differentiation, neuroplasticity, and the mind as a flow of energy and information. The author connects IPNB with the latest approaches of performance psychology. However, these connections do not consistently lead to a better understanding of the concepts of motivation, self-regulation, resilience, or anxiety, which are central to sport and applied sport contexts. The review could more explicitly connect Siegel`s framework to athlete identity, rigidity, and chaos as they relate to perfectionism, attentional dysregulation, or performance disruption. 

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The personal reflection on dance therapy offers only an implicit connection to athletic performance, coaching, or team environments. The experiential, anecdotal observations do not reach the rigorous scientific standards of sport psychology`s theoretical frameworks. Yet the lived experience of integration supports both the author's theoretical understanding and applied work. IPNB’s emphasis on attunement, regulation, and co-constructed meaning aligns with the paper`s focus on the importance of attachment, narrative, and interpersonal resonance for an athlete`s well-being and performance.

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From a sport psychology perspective, it would benefit from clearer theoretical anchoring and stronger integration of applied performance principles. The discussion of differentiation, linkage, neuroplasticity, and the mind as an embodied and relational system aligns well with contemporary approaches in performance psychology; however, the analysis does not consistently connect these mechanisms to concepts such as motivation, self-regulation, resilience, or stress responses that are central to applied sport contexts. For example, Siegel’s model provides a compelling framework for understanding athlete identity, rigidity, and chaos, but the review could more explicitly relate these constructs to performance disruption, attentional dysregulation, or maladaptive perfectionism. The reflection on dance therapy provides powerful experiential insight into integration, yet the connection to athletic performance, coaching, or team environments remains mostly implicit. Strengthening this bridge would enhance the applied value of the review.

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The paper’s focus on attachment, narrative, and interpersonal resonance reflects an appreciation for the relational nature of athlete development, which is consistent with IPNB’s emphasis on attunement, regulation, and co-constructed meaning. Still, the analysis would be improved by exploring how coaches, teams, and sport systems can intentionally cultivate integrated environments. Siegel’s notions of “mwe” and systems thinking could be tied more clearly to team cohesion, leadership styles, and sport culture. Similarly, while the reviewer reflects meaningfully on personal athletic experiences, the critique would benefit from identifying how these insights might translate into evidence-informed interventions for youth sport, coach education, or mental skills training. Finally, the narrative is rich and evocative, but adopting a more structured, theory-to-application format would increase clarity and enhance alignment with professional writing standards in sport psychology.

 

Reference

Siegel, D. J. (2020). The developing mind: How relationships and the brain interact to shape who we are (3rd ed.). The Guilford Press.