“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” Lao Tzu
About me
The goal of my work is to improve the quality of life for different groups of people.
Professionally I primarily focus on a healthy and effective human behavior in a performance-oriented environment. I utilize a holistic integration of activities intertwined in both the working and nonworking environment. The basis is formed by salutogenetic approach, the pillars of which are: somato-mental (physical and mental) balance; seeking of behavioral factors and their reinforcement to move us toward health; and work with stressors as natural parts of our life. In the area of sport the approach includes psychomotoric preparation.
I engage in the above activities in private practice and in academic environment.
Through lectures, trainings an consultations for companies and individuals, media presentations, professional and scientific publications, I focus on the following themes (topics):
Quality of life and the development of personality
Sport psychology preparation
Movement as the primary human need: possibilities of modification of lifestyle with permanent effect
Consultant in sport psychology preparation for performance oriented and top athletes. Worked with children and youth football coaches; top football and handball players; youth, junior and men’s extra league volleyball teams; an extra league basketball team; youth tennis players and with a car rally crew in the World Rally Championship.
Member of FEPSAC (European Federation of Sport Psychology) and during the periods 2003 – 2007 and 2007 – 2011 member of its Managing Council. Received an award from that organization for the development of sport psychology in Europe. Member of the Association of Sport Psychologists of the Czech Republic APS and cofounder of the Slovak Association of Sport Psychologists.
Co-authored a monograph „Osobnosť športovca z pohľadu vybraných oblastí psychológie a športu“ (The personality of an athlete from the perspective of selected areas of sport and psychology).
MOVEMENT AND HEALTH PROGRAMS
Movement program for parents with children
3-year program (1996-2000) focused on the social and psychological aspects of joint sport activities in families with children of preschool and early school age. As the program became implemented, we monitored interactive family relationships, psycho-social climate, family environment and motivation for exercise and sport in their life style. Common leisure activities significantly support relationships among family members. The program had the following slogan:
“Kilos, stress and comfort, certainly no more tomorrow; give me your hand and step forward, through movement it will get done now!”
Videolecture: Psychological and social aspects of exercise and sports in children (2006)
Exercises in a retirement home
The program focused on communication, social relationships and physical abilities of seniors (2002-2010). Play goes with every age, as does movement, which belong to fundamental human needs. Joint exercises of young people and seniors contribute to the understanding of a person’s life journey.
Mr. Karol enjoyed reminiscing about the times when as a boy he used to play football behind the village.
When asked how he perceives the entire event, Mr. Ivan responded: “Our care takers prepare something similar for us as well, but I am happy that all of us who like physical activities could gather here. The competition events were not difficult, it was more fun oriented and that is what I liked about it. “
Less courageous retirees are a challenge
“One empathetic student achieved that an old lady stood up by a wall bar, even though she was wheelchair bound. That’s how motivated she became. Similarly, we had a pair of gentlemen, who did not want to exercise – they complained about pain and the like. We have accepted it as a challenge; we were able to awaken their interest and finally they exercised for an entire hour,” reminisces K. Zusková about the unique experiment and experience.
TRAINING AND WORKSHOPS FOR COMPANIES AND ORGANIZATIONS
BAYER
Training: GENDER DIVERSITY in cooperation with HUSTED Ltd., lecturers: Birger Husted and Klaudia Zusková More about BAYER
SCCI
Courses:
BASIC ETIQUETTE IN BUSINESS AND PRIVATE LIFE
BASIC COMMUNICATION, SELF-PRESENTATION AND PSYCHOLOGICAL SELF-REGULATION OF A MANAGER
MOTIVATION AND STAFF MANAGEMENT “He who is on fire, can light up others”
COMMUNICATION AND PRESENTATION “Fun in the company and successfully in the business environment”
BUSINESS PROTOCOL AND INTRA COMPANY COMMUNICATION “The manager – a good leader and a successful diplomat”
Teambuilding:
SPORT – RECREATIONAL DAY for employees and their families More about ELCOM
BWG
The course:
BUSINESS PROTOCOL AND COMMUNICATION IN A COMPANY “The manager – a good leader and a successful diplomat” More about BWG
PROJECT REFERENCES
Project NBBU
NBBU project – support of legal employment for temporary workers in the Netherlands.
Project coordinator: Bc. Rudolf Winkel, Vice President NBBU
Loosely translated acronym for NBBU is Dutch Association of intermediaries and Temporary Work Agencies.
CNBBU objectives in relation to cooperation with the Slovak Republic:
Encourage honest behaviour of agencies
Encourage fair competition among agencies
Prevention of illegal work, fraud
Prevention of in humane situations
Caring for good accommodation conditions
Stimulate economic cooperation between reliable and qualified agencies in Slovakia and in the Netherlands
Participants:
The Slovak Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs and Family
Participation as a tutor in the project DERAMS AND TEAMS of the British Council.
The British Council is an international organization of the United Kingdom for education and cultural relations. In cooperation with another British organization, Youth Sports Trust, an international project Dreams + Teams was created. The project aimed to support the development of managerial and organizational skills of young people with the goal to develop in them civic responsibility also through sports, creative work, attitude to appreciate other cultures and promote their mutual understanding.
The idea of the project: “Think globally, act locally.”
“Physical, motoric and functional development of preschool children through reflections on their exercise regimes” – member of the research team, research project VEGA No. 1/4355/97
“The personality of the athlete” – research team leader of the research project VEGA No.1 / 0463/03
“Study on young people’s lifestyles and sedentariness and the role of sport in the context of education and as a means of restoring the balance” – member of the research team subgroup for the European research project Lot 4 (No. DG EAC/33/03)
“The motoric, social and psychological aspects of physical activity in seniors” –deputy leader of the research project VEGA No. 1/3658/13
“Selected risk factors of obesity and prevention through movement” – research team leader of the research project VEGA No. 1/1343/12
PUBLICATIONS
Books
The personality of an athlete from the perspective of selected areas of sport and psychology
Overweight and obesity of undergraduates Selected aspects of lifestyle and psychology
