In this episode we explore the physical, mental and social aspects of dealing with chronic illness as an athlete —— navigating the physical challenges , learning how to advocate for yourself, and managing the tension of the “athletic mentality" with the realistic need to listen to your body. We cover various psychological components such as the impact of a lack of understanding from others, the burden of self-doubt, the unpredictable and confusing nature of chronic illness, feelings of ...

It’s not uncommon for athletes to experience body dissatisfaction and body grief in the transition following their retirement from competition. After all, it’s not especially realistic to maintain the same physique as schedules and priorities shift when the competition days come to an end. What’s much less common though, is meaningful conversation on the topic. Body dissatisfaction and body grief can at times lead to maladaptive behaviors related to food and exercise as it can take some time ...

Every athlete goes through it at some point when the playing days are over — athlete transition. Whether an athletic retirement is caused by being medically sidelined, not being good enough to continue to the next level, or aging out, there are common themes and pitfalls many athletes in transition experience. Today we’re having a conversation about “life after sports” . . . the good, the bad, and the ugly. Where does an athlete begin to channel that "inner competitor" to move forward? How do...

We understand how difficult this can be for not only your athlete but also you as well. Your athlete may or may not be opening up about what they’re feeling. They may be resistant to help. They may be isolating or turning to unhealthy coping mechanisms. So what can you do to break through and provide the best possible support as they go through this difficult transition? Today’s podcast guests can speak to this topic both professionally and personally. In this episode, a parent of a permanent...

What a crazy thing to emerge from a full academic year of pandemic impact on sports! You may be tempted to just try and forget about the 2020-2021 athletic season and move on. We get it!!! But what if by taking some time to decompress and process what was lost and what was not to be, we can gain valuable perspective which can help “redeem” this year’s disappointments for a purpose greater than just "getting through"? Consider the possibility that this year in sports has potentially chan...

It’s something we can take for granted — our personal identity and how it shapes our view of self, our perceptions, and our challenges. Often times due to intense personal schedules for athletes, it’s challenging to find time for personal reflection on “lofty” things such as how we find our self-worth and where we find meaning. But what if those “lofty” things were impacting us in significant ways? What if taking the time to think through our identity could change everything? It’s impor...

It’s not something we talk about much. Maybe we don’t know how to start the conversation. Maybe we’re afraid we might get in over our heads. Maybe it’s just not on our radar because we don’t have personal experience with it. But with 1 in 4 young people having considered suicide during the pandemic (Source: CDC), suicide really is something we can’t afford to ignore. In this extremely candid interview, former NFL linebacker Marcus Smith II shares his personal experience with suicidal th...

What do you do when circumstances outside your control continuously interfere with your plans? . . . When the hits just keep coming and you fear being ultimately blocked off your goals? When optimism seems perhaps, a bit elusive? This is a time for building resiliency and investing in your mental game to help you rise above and push forward. Former Oklahoma State cornerback Devin Hedgepeth shares his framework for cultivating resiliency, a system he discovered after experiencing a career-endi...

Following up on our last full episode, Getting Real About Depression: Four Athletes Discuss Pressures, Identity, & Purpose, we asked Northwestern University’s sports psychiatrist, Bettina Frankel to join us to discuss some lingering questions. In this quick 30 minute episode, Dr. Frankel addresses some of the basics surrounding the athlete experience with depression: How to distinguish if it may be time to seek professional helpWho to reach out to if you’re strugglingHow to talk to ...

The holidays are often triggers for mental health struggles on the average year. This year, with the pandemic impact on the holidays combined with lingering emotional impact of the disruption on sports, many more athletes find themselves struggling in some capacity with mental health. We wondered how we can support student-athletes during this winter break which is why we have so many posts and resources related to mental health this month. We asked Bettina Frankel, sports psychiatrist at Nor...

When an athlete's athletic career is cut short due to circumstances outside their control, we understand just how brutal this can be. All that grinding coming to a halt without the satisfaction of the "natural" sport retirement that you've worked so hard for and rightfully earned-- we get it. There's an "emptiness" that accompanies unfinished business when you're facing a closed door like that with so much more to offer. The good news is, you aren't alone and we have some athletes who c...

A deep dive into the raw feelings of what it is to be an athlete struggling with mental health, what it takes to reach out for help, and what actually works for athletes. Four athletes discuss the internal pressures they faced struggling through mental health challenges - the loss of drive, the guilt, the isolation, the comparisons. Having experienced injuries that led to a medically-forced exit from sport, each of our guests know all too well the struggles associated with being separat...

To be an athlete eager to get back to a regular competition season is to be an athlete dealing with discouragement & frustration. It’s not so simple to “just be positive" right now. Fighting doubts, fears, & discouragements can be fatiguing with no real assurances about a return to normalcy. So how can we deal with our emotions and center our thoughts in the here & now? Starting us off is Matt Brown, Mental Performance Coach for the Calgary Flames, discussing strategies to build m...

Speaking to athletes coping with pandemic-imposed impact on life and sport, Matt Brown, Mental Performance Coach for the Calgary Flames, shares insights on working through what is lost and rebuilding what's possible. Matt explains why athletes have it harder than the general population in coping with the lingering effects of the pandemic and how to make their high performance mentality work for them, rather than against them during these challenging times. Key strategies for rebuilding energy...