Butterfly Road

In this episode, we sit down with Chicago Stars forward Ava Cook to hear her incredible journey to the pros, including the highs of being drafted and the tough road back from a season-ending ACL tear. From starting at a Division II university to transferring to Division I and ultimately joining the Stars, Ava shares the challenges, triumphs, and lessons learned along the way. She opens up about the mental and emotional toll of her injury, what helped her push through, and how the experience transformed her both on and off the field. Don't miss Ava's inspiring story of resilience, growth, and determination!

We're back! After a little break for the NWSL season, we're refreshed and ready to dive into a topic that's been a long time coming—doing your best. What does it actually mean to give your best, and how can you shift your mindset when your "best" looks different from day to day? If you've been feeling like your best hasn't been enough lately, we've got you covered! Tune in and let us remind you—you're doing better than you think!

Picture this: You've been counting down the days to your vacation, or maybe it's that much-needed semester break, or you've finally reached the off-season. You've worked your tail off to get here, and now you can't wait to kick back and enjoy some well-deserved downtime. But as the return date approaches, a sense of dread starts creeping in. Suddenly, you're bombarded with questions: Am I ready to jump back into the grind? Did I make the most of my time off? And what's waiting for me when I get back? You're caught in this transition where you can't shake off the worry about what's coming up next. But fear not! This week, we discuss how to shake off those post-vacation blues. Join us as we share some tips and tricks to smooth out the return to reality and make the most of your precious time off.

It's a Christmas miracle! We're back to discuss pressure, the different kinds, and how to handle them!While we acknowledge pressure is a privilege, we know it can be daunting and overwhelming. If you're not prepared to embrace your own pressures, you may not reap as many benefits from those experiences. Tune in to hear about the pressures we face on and off the field and the tricks we use to alleviate them.

This week we sit down with Monica Flores. Monica is an integrative health practitioner who looks to enhance the lives of others through holistic measures. Recently retired from professional soccer, Monica is now continuing her journey to change how people understand the connection between diet and mental health.During this episode, we discuss the mind-gut connection and how important a healthy diet is to mental health. Flores works with numerous athletes and attempts to shift their focus from societal expectations of appearance to fuel and performance through small changes. Flores also dotes on how the way one eats is a form of self love and nourishment, rather than restriction; through this, she candidly opens up about her own struggles regarding her relationship with food. We are so grateful to have our good friend and former teammate on the podcast with us — make sure to tune in!

Athletes are no strangers to the ups and downs of a season. And with those ups and downs comes a struggle to maintain your confidence and self-worth. Factors out of your control, like playing time and injuries, threaten your identity as a player. How do you maintain a steady mindset in the midst of a season? How do you stay confident through adversity?This episode, we answer those questions and discuss how to build self-confidence and self-worth on and off the field. It's a common struggle athletes face. But it's manageable with the right tools. Join us!

For as long as we can remember, Sundays have been our least favorite day of the week. The excitement and activities of the weekend are gone, and you're staring at five days of responsibilities until another weekend comes around. The temptation to be a couch potato is strong, but you know it'll make things even worse. So, what do you do?Join us this week as we discuss creating your own Sunday routine and things you can do to hit the ground running on Monday.

This episode we dive into the life of five-time NBA All-Star, John Wall. Wall made a name for himself as a point guard for the Washington Wizards, starting in 2010. He faced a storm of hardships including his mother's death, a ruptured Achilles tendon, as well as getting traded from the Washington Wizards. Through these events, Wall battled with clinical depression and detailed his struggles in a Players' Tribune article. We discuss the hardships, but more so, the inspiration Wall used to pull himself out of his depression. Once again, we see the positive effects of vulnerability and how speaking out can not only help your own healing, but others' too.

One of the biggest universal experiences all humans face is transition. Transition in where you live, transition in where you work – transition is unavoidable. And often, transitions bring about a ton of stress and anxieties. This episode we discuss the transition from high school to college, and the obstacles you face with this change in relation to your sport. Suddenly, you're in an entirely new environment, learning the ropes, trying to make new friends, all while fighting for a spot in the lineup. Join us as we discuss our experience with the high school to college transition, what helped us cope, and what we would tell ourselves now looking back to freshman year.

Expansion teams come with a lot of press, buzz and excitement. But rarely does the public hear about the growing pains of the team's first season. An entirely new roster, coaching staff, front office, and routine are a few of the obstacles expansion teams face. That paired with the transition from your previous club can be a daunting task to face. But with this challenge comes immense growth, and ultimately, amazing life experiences that make you stronger and better on and off the field. Experiences Cari wouldn't trade for anything! Join us as we discuss Angel City's wild ride as one of the NWSL's two expansion teams this year!

DeMar DeRozan, Chicago Bulls' dominant shooting guard, is no stranger to success. With five NBA All-Star games under his belt, he's shown poise and consistency in the league since his induction in 2009. However, our admiration of DeRozan is for something that can't be found on the stat sheet. It comes from the vulnerability to talk about his depression and ignite a long-overdue conversation in the NBA about mental health. Join us as we discuss DeRozan's background, playing history, and the ways he changed the NBA for the better! 

This week we sit down with Diego Bocanegra-- the first coach to ever join us on Butterfly Road. Diego spent three seasons as an assistant coach at Notre Dame where he coached us. After, he led the University of Houston women's soccer team to their most successful season in program history as a head coach. During this episode, we ask Diego all the questions we couldn't as players and where he sees the future of soccer as it relates to mental health. He shares the pillars he stuck to as a coach and details his perspective on players going through hard times. We couldn't be more grateful for Diego's vulnerability and willingness to divulge on the podcast. Tune in! 

Join us this week as we sit down with Tina Iordanou and Joanna Boyles – hosts of one of our favorite podcasts Two Washups One Pro.  Being former professional soccer players themselves, they know far too well the identity crisis an athlete experiences when they retire from their sport. As they bring us through their stories of retirement and finding themselves outside of soccer, we realize that this life transition is relatable to all types of people (athlete or not). What makes up your identity? How do you cope with the fear of losing your identity after leaving something? What mindset must you have to tackle the next stage of life? Tune in to hear the answers to all these questions and more!

New Year's resolutions have us all trying to better ourselves this year. And what better way to start than with our mental headspace and emotions! In this episode, we had the pleasure of speaking to Emily Perrin, CEO and Founder of Perrin Wellness and Performance. She is an integrative health coach and expert in all things mindfulness, meditation, and yoga. As a former D1 soccer player herself, Emily loves working with collegiate and professional athletes, helping them navigate the mental challenges of their sport.Tune in to hear about her meditation routines, techniques to stay mindful, and how she turned her passion into a career.

Our special guest this week is none other than my cohost, Cari Roccaro!Every athlete knows the grind, challenges, and triumphs that accompany a sports season and Cari's 2021 NWSL journey was just that. But her ability to stay steady, refocus and deal with those challenges is what allowed her to mentally grow throughout it all. Tune in to hear about her journey and advice she has for those also going through it!

This week, we sat down with former NHL player Stephen Johns to discuss his journey from rock bottom to roller-blading across the country.Stephen Johns played professionally for the Chicago Blackhawks and Dallas Stars organizations from 2014 to 2020. He had to step aside for two years and ultimately from the game altogether due to too many concussions. This started his downward spiral leading to depression.Join us to hear the unique story of how he embarked on a cross-country MentalMiles journey and overcame his depression!

It's officially spooky season and what's scarier than Halloween itself? Evaluating yourself through the eyes of other people! Oftentimes, we learn at a young age that others' opinions determine our self-worth. As we grow up, this belief system becomes reinforced and harder to grow out of. But fear not! In this episode, we discuss the origins of your self-worth and different techniques/practices you can use to improve it. We promise it's never too late to work on yourself. All you need to do is take the first step -- so tune in!

We're back and boy do we have a LOT to catch up on! Work stress, breakthrough COVID infections, moving across the country, and the loss of a loved one -- life has thrown us some curveballs. We'd be remiss if we had not taken the last few weeks off. After all, we constantly preach stepping away to focus on your mental health.But now we're recharged and so happy to be back discussing sports, life and the mental rollercoaster ride of it all. Join us! 

This episode, we sit down with our friend and former Notre Dame football captain, James Onwualu! James' story is unlike anything we've ever heard. From injuries, to cuts, to crashing on people's couches on both coasts, James has been through the ringer. In a league as cut-throat as the NFL, these obstacles can bring you to a dark place mentally. And yet, his resilience pushed him to get back out there every time. Join us as he discusses – for the first time ever – his journey and what the landscape looks like for mental health in male sports.

Do you ever feel like your self-esteem is lower after looking at someone else's Instagram? Do doubts creep in when you see someone achieve something you desire? Comparing yourself to others is natural—we all do it. However, life is more fun — and more manageable — when we focus on self-growth rather than others' accomplishments. Tune in for a raw conversation on our struggles with comparing, why it's important to avoid it, and tips and tricks on how to do so! 

From the outside looking in, Terry Bradshaw had it all -- 4 Super Bowls, a great job as an NFL analyst, wife and kids, appearances in movies and TV shows. His never-ending success, colorful personality, and southern charm made him a fan-favorite all over the world. But this happy facade made it that much harder for the public to believe him when he came out with depression and ADD. Some even went as far as accusing him of using it as a publicity stunt.Join us as we discuss the obstacles Bradshaw overcame in a time period known for turning a blind eye to mental health.

We're strong believers in the idea that if we were all a little more educated on mental illness and how to help, the world would be a better place. Struggling with a mental illness is hard -- we spent the first 25 episodes just scratching the surface! This episode is dedicated to those on the sideline just trying to help. Our conversation dives into what to say, what not to say, what to do, and what not to do. Tune in to hear our advice on being there for someone going through it! 

Join us this week as we sit down with Dr. Brad Miller, a 20-year clinical psychologist and founder at Soccer Resilience. Brad specializes in helping youth and adult athletes strengthen confidence, resilience, performance and well-being on and off the field. We asked him all the things on our minds, as well as YOUR submitted questions. From pandemic stress, to reset techniques, to performance anxiety in and out of sport — Brad had us leaving refreshed, validated and feeling as though we had our own little therapy session. If you want in on all these good vibes, tune in!

Being grateful and practicing gratitude can be very different things. For example, I'm grateful for Netflix, wine, and not receiving any work emails before 9 AM. But to properly practice gratitude, one must do it with intent. It could be anything big or small, silly or serious -- as long as you're consistent.  The more committed you are to practicing gratitude, the more your brain picks up on the beautiful little things all around us. It changes your brain chemistry and literally makes you think happier thoughts. If that's not a cheat code, I don't know what is! Join us this week as we discuss the benefits of practicing gratitude and the different ways you can incorporate it into your daily routine.

This week, we take you through an Athlete Spotlight episode featuring none other than the beautiful and brave Aly Raisman. You may know her as the two-time Olympic gymnast — but do you know her story?Sexual abuse and post-traumatic stress disorder are two of a few things she comes face-to-face with every day. Her story isn't one of defeat, however, as she has stepped up and been vocal about her issues in the hopes of helping others. Tune in to hear her struggles, and more importantly, the techniques she uses to stay level-headed and kick her demons in the butt. 

After a two-week reset, we're back to talk about just that! Resetting and giving yourself the proper recovery from life -- whether that's physically, mentally, or both! Having self-awareness and understanding when you're burned out is crucial to maintaining a balanced and healthy mindset. Noone's perfect and we all come close or even hit our breaking point at times. However, the right techniques and tools can help you feel in control and empowered to get yourself back on the right track. Tune in and recharge with us! 

This week we discuss our favorite Kardashian, social media trolls, stepping away to take care of your mental health, and how to go about doing so. No matter the circumstances, life can be overwhelming at times.  We're here to remind you that you're not alone and there are tools at your disposal that can help turn things around. Tune in! 

This week, we talk about the ways in which we handle setbacks and the coping mechanisms we use to bounce back. 

This week, we take you through Michael Phelps' story of Olympic success, mental health struggles, legal troubles and the ultimate journey to discover who he is apart from swimming.

This week, we sit down with Lindsey Horan as she tells her story of playing professionally in France at the age of 18. An experience comprised of tough decisions, new cultures, body image issues, and a struggle to maintain her love for the game. Through details never shared before, we learn how the Portland Thorns and US Women's National Team midfielder got to where she is today and the experiences that shaped her current outlook as a world-renowned footballer.

This week we answer YOUR questions and share things about ourselves we haven't in past episodes. Some funny, some serious, some sports-related, and some not -- we talk about it all! Tune in! 

This week we talk about ADHD and all the misconceptions that go with it! We learned that those with ADHD (including Simone Biles and Michael Phelps) experience the world in a different way. And even though it's challenging at times, some channel it in their sport or profession. We put it all on the table and tackle the stigma once and for all. Tune in! 

It's about time for another athlete spotlight! This week, we talk about Australian & WNBA superstar Liz Cambage. Liz's story showcases her strength and perseverance through alcohol problems, mental health and pressure experienced on the largest of stages. Her time at the Olympics and with the WNBA gives us an inside look at her journey to overcome her own mental demons. We are now the biggest Liz Cambage fans and you'll become one too after listening to this episode -- so tune in! 

Change and transition can be very daunting, especially if you are a fellow routine-lover like us. One thing we do know is that change is inevitable, but fear not as we have a few tips and tricks up our sleeve. Tune in to hear the ways we cope with change and what's worked best for us in times of transition!

Raise your hand if you think doing a 1-hour wall sit should be illegal

This week, Jessica McDonald joins us as the first EVER Butterfly Road Podcast guest! Her story is inspirational and multifaceted -- childhood struggles, family relations, injuries, rejection, forgiveness, motherhood -- she covers it all.Tune in to hear Jess' triumphs through adversity and how it all brought her here today! 

Weakness is normal! Anyone who tells you otherwise needs to take a lap. Being a leader - whether it be in sports, the classroom, the office - is a hard job. Being a leader and struggling with mental health is even harder. So, how do we get through it?This week, we discuss what it's like being a leader while dealing with your mental health. It's not all rainbows and sunshine, and there are things we'd do differently if given the chance. But those hard lessons brought us here today and we wouldn't have it any other way!

Have you ever equated your personal value with how you're doing at your job, on the field, or in the classroom? If yes, then boy do we feel your pain. If no, then please tell us your secret! This episode, we discuss our struggles in separating our self-worth from our performance on the job. We also share different tips and tricks we -- and various professional athletes -- use to help keep us grounded. Join us to hear our usual raw, embarrassing, and genuine stories about mental health! 

This week, we discuss restaurant wine tasting and our wish for it not to exist. It's a lovely gesture, we're just not classy enough to appreciate it. We also take a look at NFL tight end, Hayden Hurst, and his incredible story of struggle and perseverance in the face of depression. 

Don't get us wrong, we love the gram, twittersphere, the snap, and have even dabbled a bit in the TikTok scene (clearly out of our element there). However, it's important to remember how detrimental social media can be for our mental health. We discuss it all in this week's episode!

This week, we listen to YOUR suggestions and discuss ways we cope with our own mental health flare-ups. In addition, we chat about the possible existence of human-like life forms in the deep sea and whether or not they have grocery stores. Tune in to hear it all!

If you could tell your pre-high school or pre-college self anything, what would it be? This week, we discuss our answers to this question as well as some of our more embarrassing moments growing up.

New pop culture obsessions, an introduction to a new life in Sweden, and an uplifting and informative chat about Colin Wilson's experiences with OCD. 

Exercise confessions, airport pet peeves, and a raw and vulnerable discussion about anything and everything related to triggers and anxiety. 

Tune into Episode 3 for blunt thoughts about men's bathrooms as well as a relatable and honest discussion regarding the struggles and silver linings of COVID-19.  

A brief Bachelorette recap (no spoilers), the meaning behind the name "Butterfly Road," Dak Prescott, and of course, Skip Bayless. We go through it all in Episode 2!

How do you turn this thing on? Join us for our FIRST EPISODE EVER where we strip down and bare it all...mentally. We say things out loud we haven't in our entire lives-and guess what- it feels amazing! We're about to completely annihilate the athlete & mental health stigma. Come along for the ride and let's talk, baby!