Everything Athletes - Mental Health for Competitors

Ryan Stock is the founder of MindSport, author of Buddha Was A Baller, and a former NCAA college basketball player and college basketball coach of over 15 years. Stock has worked with professional athletes and world champions from the NBA, NFL, MLB, MMA, MLS, PGA among other professional leagues and organizations and continues to be at the forefront of the mental side of athletics.In this episode, Ryan Stock covers...His illustrious high school basketball career and coaching careerHis relationship with alcoholThe athlete identity & feeling like nothing is ever good enoughSelf-love & controlFind Ryan Stock at the links below:MindSport WebsiteOne Last Drop on AmazonOne Last Drop (The Doc)Conscious Athlete GuideTwitter

Dr. Kensa Gunter works in private practice in the metro-Atlanta area providing clinical and sport/performance psychology services to adolescent and adult populations. Additionally, she offers consultation services to organizations and athletic personnel including coaches, certified athletic trainers, athletic administrators, and sports nutritionists.In this episode, Dr. Gunter covers...Mental health for athletes & coachesWhat coaches can do to support  athletesHer path to finding clinical sport psychologyStigma around mental healthHow the systems contribute to our mental health statesFind Dr. Gunter at the links below:Dr. Kensa Gunter's websiteLinkedInTwitter

Dr. Matthew Raidbard has spent the past 15 years as a men's college basketball coach and senior level college athletics administrator. While pursuing his Doctorate in Educational Leadership, he conducted research on athletic coach leadership practice that led him to determine that coaches were not being provided the tools and resources required to take on the outsized leadership role they were asked to take on for their athletes and team. This discovery was the inspiration for his new book, "Lead Like A Pro: Effective Leadership Styles For Athletic Coaches," where he provides coaches, at all levels of sports, with tools to enhance their leadership practice and become more effective leaders.In this episode, Dr. Rairdbard covers...Mental health for athletes & coachesWhat coaches can do to support  athletesWhat leadership skills coaches should practiceHow to grow skills like empathy and understandingFind Dr. Raidbard and his book at the links below:Lead Like a Pro bookDr. Raidbard's websiteLinkedInTwitter

Sensitive topic warning: psychological abuse, sexual abuse, suicide, depression. Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)Document link: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/11/667My notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fwu3k1lEgUtqrNeCj7oHMK-xYGzVI_JeNGhGWLA8sSs/edit?usp=sharingPart 3 covers:Major stressors & key environmental factors that influence elite athlete mental healthHow injury, performance and mental health intersectInjury risk factorsResponse to and recovery from injury and illnessBarriers to seeking care for mental health symptoms & disordersFacilitators to seeking care for mental health symptoms & disordersTransition out of sportCreating an environment that supports mental well-being and resilience

Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)Document link: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/11/667My notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fwu3k1lEgUtqrNeCj7oHMK-xYGzVI_JeNGhGWLA8sSs/edit?usp=sharingPart 2 covers:7 out of the 11 symptoms & disorders examinedpost-traumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related disorderseating disordersattention-deficit/hyperactivity disorderbipolar and psychotic disorderssport-related concussionsubstance use and substance use disordersgambling disorder and other behavioural addictions

Mental health in elite athletes: International Olympic Committee consensus statement (2019)Document link: https://bjsm.bmj.com/content/53/11/667My notes: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Fwu3k1lEgUtqrNeCj7oHMK-xYGzVI_JeNGhGWLA8sSs/edit?usp=sharingPart 1 covers:The committee's abstract for the report, highlighting what they covered and whyDefinitions for "elite athletes" and "mental health disorders"General prevalenceGeneral approaches4 out of the 11 symptoms & disorders examinedsleep disorders and sleep concernsmajor depressive disorder and depression symptomssuicideanxiety and related disorders

Ryan Pho is a former D2 Collegiate Baseball player at Holy Names University, and he is the founder of Psychathletes. Psychathletes is a content organization driven to provide mental health and performance resources in sport to athletes who have had said resources hidden from them due to cultural stigma surrounding mental health, affordability, and overall lack of awareness. Psychathletes specializes in the production and distribution of easily digestible mental performance content through audio media platforms such as Anchor, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify, and social media platforms such as Instagram and Facebook. In this episode, Ryan shares stories about...his high school & collegiate baseball careera freshman baseball game that changed his trajectoryself-doubt and a possible solutionpurpose in lifehis organization, Psychathletes Follow Psychathletes & Ryan at the links below:WebsiteFacebook pageInstagramDiscordPodcast 

Dr. Matthew Sacco, PhD Dr. Sacco is a Health and Sport/Performance Psychologist at Cleveland Clinic.  He obtained his doctorate in Counseling Psychology from Auburn University and taught student athletes in the athletic department for 3+ years.  After working for more than 5 years in medical/health psychology with individuals with a wide range of complex health problems, particularly neurological problems like Multiple Sclerosis, chronic pain and headaches, and concussions, Dr. Sacco began a more formalized sport psychology practice within Cleveland Clinic Sports Medicine and Orthopedics.  He works with a wide range of athletes and performers from middle school through professional athletes and well into retirement.  Dr. Sacco also works as part of the NFL Trust Retired Players Program at Cleveland Clinic.  When not "working at work" Dr. Sacco enjoys spending as much time as he can with his wife (Karen) and three kids (Juliana, Lucas and Gabriel).  You can often find him coaching his kids' youth sports teams, traversing the greater Cleveland area, or engaged in one of his favorite activities, being a fan at his kids sporting events.In this episode, Dr. Sacco offers two ways athletes can improve their mental health today: Limit social media, especially during or before competitionSeek professional help from a therapistMackleen Desravines, Documentary FilmmakerMackleen Desravines is a documentary filmmaker based in Atlanta, GA. Her current film, Chris is Not Crazy, is about an athlete struggling with a mental illness. Donate to her project at the link below to help her reach her goal of $7,000.https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/christian-is-not-crazy#/Find Mackleen's website & socials below:Mackleen.com @directedbymack Instagram@directedbymack Twitter@doryansparkman Instagram (co-writer) Facebook.com/madfilmhouseContact the Everything Athletes Showcontact@everythingathletes.com

Kim's book, The I of the Tiger, is AVAILABLE NOW on AmazonSign up for the virtual event "The Athlete Identity in the Transition Journey" with ExtraOrdinaire, a community of former athletes and Olympians staying extraordinary in the everyday world. SIGN UP HERE.  Kim's Ingredients for GOOD Mental Health (Part 2):8. Don't fight who you are9. Create weekly excitement10. Good sleep habits11. Attend therapy12. Write a list of your favorite things (& do them!)13. Practice self-compassion, not perfectionism14. Set proper expectations for life & emotions 

Kim's book, The I of the Tiger, is AVAILABLE NOW on Amazon Kim's Ingredients for GOOD Mental HealthEliminate caffeine & alcoholPhysical exerciseIceberg thinking to reduce anxietyConnect with others whenever I canDon't take things personally & always do my bestMaintenance of my human being (nature, deep breathing)Help & support others whenever I can For #8-14, stay tuned for the next episode! 

The I of the Tiger AVAILABLE NOW on Amazon We all may experience anxiety or depression at some point in our lives. For some of us, it may be worse than others. Let's make it really difficult for anxiety and depression to enter our minds in the first place. Eliminating psychoactive substances such as caffeine and alcohol helps your mind operate from a rooted, stable perspective without the emotional spikes brought on by caffeine and alcohol. Kim talks about her personal detoxes from both and how she limits her intake of both caffeine and alcohol. Katie, Nutrition Coach: https://www.instagram.com/fueling.former.athletes/Wandering Bear Coffee: https://wanderingbearcoffee.com/

The I of the Tiger AVAILABLE NOW on Amazon Tough love is defined as: treating yourself sternly (or what may seem harsh) with the intent of helping yourself in the long run.When tough love is needed in your lifeWhen you've reached your limit of dissatisfying resultsWhen you notice you're feeling sorry for yourself, feeling victimized and not taking responsibilityWhen you start to get really clear on what you want in lifeWhat it looks like & how to do itBe so real & honest with yourselfBring in the numbers & quantify your goalsPolice yourself on choosing the easy, comfortable pathPlay "Would You Rather?" with yourselfGive yourself trial periods to test out change

Injury is never fun. Uncertainty in your period of injury is what makes you feel like you're sitting in purgatory. The total uncertainty of how things are going to heal, feel and play out feels crippling. Learn how to effectively cope during your period of injury by acknowledging your feelings, expressing gratitude for the health you do have and finding an alternative stress outlet. Proactively manage your mental health during a vulnerable period of injury will set you up for emotional well-being.

Sean Fee was a varsity letter winner wrestler at West Virginia University where he graduated in 2016. Sean recently received his master's degree in counseling psychology with a focus in positive coaching and athletic leadership from the University of Missouri, which will set him up to become certified by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology. He is now enrolled at Cleveland State University, where he is seeking an additional master's in clinical mental health counseling to become a licensed therapist with the goal of working with collegiate athletes.Find Sean below:The Fine Line book Wellsportcle Social Media PagesTikTokInstagram 

Injury is never fun. Uncertainty in your period of injury is what makes you feel like you're sitting in purgatory. The total uncertainty of how things are going to heal, feel and play out feels crippling. Learn why we hate uncertainty and why the sports community's current view of injury adds to the already stressful situation.

Chapter 1 shares insights on what's included in the book and how this book can help athletes tackle the toughest moments on their own journey.Order your own copy of the book at https://www.everythingathletes.com/buy-the-book-and-thrive About the Book My athlete identity was ruining my life. I retired from collegiate swimming a decade ago, yet my intense drive toward perfectionist ideals plagued me in adulthood. I was stuck in a never-ending hamster wheel of desiring more, faster, stronger, smarter, prettier, nicer, happier, better, better, better, better, BETTER. I was burning bright, burning fast, and burning out.Ultimately, my extreme behavior led to a heartbreaking pitfall hurting the person I loved the most. Enough was enough. I needed to understand why I was the way I was. My personality traits, such as my relentless competitive nature and lack of compassion, were reinforced over 15 years as an athlete. Those traits needed to be examined, understood, and delicately resolved as I was on the fast-track to a lifetime of unhappiness. So, I decided to sit down and write a book. This book.I researched psychology principles, observed the most elite athletes of our time, reviewed my own life experiences, and attempted to unravel what it means to be an athlete. If you're reading this, I'm glad you have this book in your hands, but I wrote this for myself. I embarked on this project because there wasn't anything out there to help me navigate, unpack, decipher, and grow from the athlete identity. Therapy had not worked. There was no YouTube series to follow. There wasn't anything I could find about the modern athlete journey that made sense of it all. This book is what I wish I had when I was 21.-Kimberly Carducci, Author

Rosie Mead is a Music Sociologist with a background in music, health and wellbeing. She is starting out as a high performance life coach, taking her academic interests in music psychology and music sociology to support athletes to thrive by connecting with music. Rosie is on a mission to raise awareness of the power of music to enhance sports performance, and the ways that we can re-connect with and be in control of our emotions through the music we listen to, which in turn affects how we perform. Rosie is launching her coaching business in September 2021, and you can follow her work over on instagram - @iamrosiemeadRosie Mead's Links:Musica Music & Wellbeing WebsiteSoulful High Performance InstagramBe Your Own DJ Podcast

Kerrie is the founder and lead therapist at A Good Place Therapy, a bicoastal private practice offering compassionate psychotherapy for adults, couples, children, teens, and families.Kerrie has focused her career on seeking out solutions to individual, family, and community problems through clinical work, policy reform, and building nonprofit social service programs.In addition to her 1:1 clinical work with psychotherapy clients, she supervises and coaches, clinical social workers; facilitates professional development and training groups, and oversees all aspects of care, training, and fidelity to A Good Place Therapy’s various models of service delivery.Check out Kerrie Mohr's practice, A Good Place TherapyInstagram: @a_goodplaceFacebook: @agoodplacetherapyTwitter: @a_GoodPlaceLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/a-good-place/Company Website: https://www.agoodplacetherapy.com/Kerrie's Psyched Magazine Article - Perfectionism's Dark Side: Lessons from Japan

Why is the retirement transition so difficult?Basic biology of an endorphin crashAthletes die twiceDriving purpose in life fades awayBattle with perfectionismHow can we navigate through it?CelebrateGrieve the death of your identity ClosureVolunteerBreak the curse of perfectionism*These are just a handful of cherry-picked topics related to the retirement transition. For my full analysis of why entering post-sport life is so challenging stay tuned for our book later this year.Navigate Retirement & Thrive - access our 29-video-lesson online course to help you navigate through your own retirement, check out the curriculum at Udemy.com.

How ironic to live in a species known for imperfection but choose a life pursuit - sports - that demands perfection. When things don't go according to plan and we don't reach perfection, we suffer in unshakeable inadequacy. Our greatest fear is exposed: imperfection.When we take a moment to understand our perfectionist mindset, we can start to build a strong foundation to manage the moments that feel as though they don't measure up.

Open: An AutobiographyAuthor:  Andre AgassiBuy Open  on AmazonLink to transcript of the full book review: www.everythingathletes.com/everything-athletes-book-reviews-open-by-andre-agassiFavorite quotes from the book:Page 8 - “Tennis is the sport in which you talk to yourself. No athletes talk to themselves like tennis players. Pitchers, golfers, goalkeepers, they mutter to themselves, of course, but tennis players talk to themselves - and answer...why? Because tennis so damned lonely. Only boxers can understand the loneliness of tennis players - and yet boxers have their corner men and managers…Tennis is the closest to solitary confinement.”19 - “...he plays with desperation, a more powerful drug than cortisone.” (about his opponent) 20 - “I win the next point. Deuce again. Elation. I give him the next point. Backhand into the net. Advantage Baghdatis. Depression.”25 - “People often ask what it’s like, this tennis life, and I can never think how to describe it. But that word comes closest. More than anything else, it’s a wrenching, thrilling, horrible, astonishing whirl.”29 - “I like the feeling of hitting a ball dead perfect. It’s the only peace. When I do something perfect, I enjoy a split second of sanity and calm.” 38 - “...I’ll now have a loss on my record - forever. Nothing can ever change it. I can’t endure the thought, but it’s inescapable: I’m fallible. Blemished. Imperfect. A million balls hit against the dragon - for what?”62 - (after losing) “I look into the stands for my father, and he’s staring down, concerned. Not angry - concerned. I’m concerned too, but damned angry also, sick with self-loathing...I say hateful things to myself as I pack my tennis bag.”90 - (talk with his friend about rigged carnival games to win a teddy bear prize) “Nah. You just have to toss two rubber rings around the neck of a Coke bottle. We’re athletes. We’ve got this.”  127 - “What if today wasn’t a bad day, but my best day? I think I’d rather die.”130 - “People, I think, don’t understand the pain of losing in a final. You practice and travel and grind to get ready. You win for one week, four matches in a row. Then you lose that final match and your name isn’t on the trophy, your name isn’t in the record books. You lost only once, but you’re a loser.”132 - “I laugh more than I’ve laughed since I was a boy, and even though it’s tinged with hysteria, the laughter has healing properties. For a few hours, late at night, laughter makes me feel like the old Andre, whoever that is.”206 - “I’ve always noticed the way players silently anoint the alpha dog in their midst, the way they single out the one player who’s feeling it, who’s likeliest to win. At this tournament, for the first time, I’m that player. I feel them all watching me in the locker room. I feel them noting my every move, the little things I do, even studying how I organize my bag. They’re quicker to step aside when I walk by, eager to give up the training table. A new degree of respect is directed toward me, and while I try not to take it seriously, I can’t help but enjoy it.”218 - “Every day this loss feels new. Every day I tell myself to stop thinking about it, and every day I can’t. The only respite is fantasizing about retirement.”231 - “This is the only perfection there is, the perfection of helping others. This is the only thing we can do that has any lasting value or meaning. This is why we’re here. To make each other feel safe.”255-256 - “A look of pure relief, and gratitude, and joe, washes over her face, and in this look, in this courageous little girl, I find the thing I’ve been seeking, the philosopher’s stone that unites all the experiences, good and bad, of the last few years. Her suffering, her resilient smile in the face of that suffering, my part in easing her suffering - this, this is the reason for everything. How many times must I be shown? This is why we’re here. To fight through the pain and, when possible, to relieve the pain of others. So simple. So hard to see.”226 - “Besides, it’s always easier psychologically to lose in the semis than in the final.” 272 - “I’ve been cheered by thousands, booed by thousands, but nothing feels as bad as the booing inside your own head during those ten minutes before you fall asleep.”304 - “I raise my arms and my racket falls on the clay. I’m sobbing. I’m rubbing my head. I’m terrified by how good this feels. Winning isn’t supposed to feel this good. Winning is never supposed to matter this much. But it does, it does, I can’t help it.” 304 - “Without Nick I wouldn’t be here. Without all the ups and downs with Brooke, even the misery of our final days, this wouldn’t be possible. I even reserve some gratitude for myself, for all the good and bad choices that led here.”

Topics Kim covers in this episode are:How we change in moments of competitionPositive & negative attention Self-Worth and a constant feedback loopCompetingWinning

Topics Kim covers in this episode are:Why is studying identity so important? How we view athletes as a kid (& consequently how that shapes our lifelong view of sports and athletes)How the chronological journey of participating in sport snowballs into a strong attachment of “being an athlete”Typical thought patterns & beliefs of athletes

To see the actual email I sent my ex-boyfriend after we lost our tennis match and I was so upset, click here. 

Kim's two layered approach consists of...Root yourself in realityManage your thoughts using Brooke Castillo's Thought Model (CTFAR) & The Life Coach School Brene Brown Quote: “Our brain is wired, above all else, for survival. So, the minute we have a threat, whether it’s anxiety, fear, shame, whatever that threat is, our brain says, ‘Give me a story’...Our brain recognizes the pattern of a narrative: Beginning, middle, end. ‘Give me a story that tells me who’s safe, who’s good, who’s bad, who’s dangerous.’” (link)Dr. Jim Taylor, PhD Psychology Quotes:“Emotions are as much a part of the competitive sports experience as physical conditioning, equipment, technique, strategy, and teamwork. It could be argued that emotions are the 'raison d’être” of sports competition.'" (link)“The range of events and emotions that are experienced through athletic involvement seem to be both numerous and extreme compared to the normal population.” (link) Check out more about Everything Athletes: www.everythingathletes.comWant to submit a topic for us to discuss? Shoot us a note at: contact@everythingathletes.comIf you're digging this content, leave us a 5-star review!

Blueprint: An Olympian's Story of Striving, Adapting, and Embracing the SuckAuthor: Katie Hoff, Co-Author: Richard BaderBuy Blueprint on AmazonLink to transcript of my book review as well as our in-depth thought assessment: https://www.everythingathletes.com/book-reviews/blueprint-by-katie-hoffBrooke Castillo's Thought Model - The Life Coach School

Mac is the Athlete Career & Education Manager at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and founder of The Sideline Perspective. A two-sport D1 athlete at Dartmouth College Mac has experienced what it’s like to be sidelined due to injury and what it takes to move on after over a decade of commitment to highly competitive sport.  Mac started The Sideline Perspective as a platform for storytelling and support for injured and retiring athletes. Through stories, interviews, and podcasts TSP has helped to shed light on the hidden challenges competitive athletes face when temporarily sidelined or no longer able to compete.https://thesidelineperspective.com/

John is the President of New Edge Performance and a world-class Performance Coach – assisting some of the world’s leading athletes and companies – professionals from major sports leagues around the world and corporate leaders. His clients regularly include many athletes inside the World Top 50 ranking in their sports. John is one of the world’s leading authorities in Emotional Intelligence as it relates to performance in business and sport. His popular performance book “You Are a Contender: Build Emotional Muscle to Perform Better and Achieve More … in Business, Sports and Life” is a bestseller in the United States and Canada and is used by both corporate performers and athletes.Information about John and his work can be found at www.johnhaime.com.John's new book, Ride Big: https://www.horseandriderbooks.com/product/RIBI.htmlHis article "What's Next - A Perspective of Athlete Identity"  : https://johnhaime.com/2015/04/whats-next-a-perspective-of-athlete-identity/Horizon Leader Group: https://horizonleadergroup.com/Melinda Harrison's book Personal Next: https://www.amazon.com/Personal-Next-Athletes-Navigating-Transition-ebook/dp/B084HJ79L2

Kacee Hoffer was a Division 1 athlete. A high performing division 1 athlete. Then the world came crumbling down when burnout, doubt, self-image and ultimate shame took over and the feeling of being a “failed athlete” was the only thing that remainedWithin the three years that followed, she worked through the pain and struggles of rebuilding her identity. Not as an athlete, but as a human being. She is speaking out for the athletes that feel alone in their struggle and believe that they should be able to handle it, even though they aren’t. Kacee new helps past and current high performing athletes push through the mental struggles of body confidence, self-image and shame to transition and thrive in and after competition.

Ryan Jones grew up playing competitive baseball in the Atlanta circuit. He handled different coaching styles, multiple injuries and ultimately chose to go to the University of Georgia and pursue a life free of sport. Short-stop turned First baseman, his insight into a life post-sport extends well beyond his years! 

Melinda Harrison is a professional certified ICF PCC Level Executive Coach and facilitator with extensive experience on career transition, goal discovery, and guiding her clients through the challenges of attainment.Drawing from her progressive research, Melinda has deep insights on both the critical aspects that make up success as well as the transitional elements that people experience. In 2015, she completed over 100 structured interviews with individuals who had successfully transitioned from a major accomplishment(s) to a new challenge.This research included the experiences from included a broad spectrum of athletes such as Olympians - including several medalists, World Championship medalists, athletes from NFL, MLS, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, LPGA, Cycling and NCAA athletes. It also included cancer survivors and individuals who have experienced an addiction or survived a significant tragedy. In April of 2020 she published her first book, “Personal Next” — aimed at aiding athletes and other high-performers through transition.In combination with her business experience, background as an Olympic athlete (Los Angeles 1984), board experience and her entrepreneurial and community successes, she brings commitment and accountability to each client. Melinda loves coaching —working with individuals and teams to create a deeper self-awareness, develop opportunities and move towards goalswww.melindaharrison.com

Thanks for listening!To read my actual email I sent after losing a tennis match, click here.Find out more about us at www.everythingathletes.com