Supporting Youth Athletes

Well-being and mental health care for sports participants and competitors can start with... -Psychologically Safe Environments: where the thoughts, feelings, experiences and personalities of its participants are considered when striving to understand behaviour (and when considering every policy, every practice, and every process). “Who is the person and why do they behave in this way...and how can we best behave and interact with this person.” -An attitude that every person counts: if they’re here, then we care! -Psychological safety: giving participants a voice in policy, practice, and process...and where participants are given a safe space to express vulnerability (while appreciating individual differences in attitude towards such safety) -Motivational climate: leaning towards a mastery orientation (a focus on developmental and performance tasks), while appreciating individual differences in motivational patterns, from internal (feeding intrinsic rewards) to external (feeding extrinsic rewards). -Safe uncertainty (thanks Dr Suzanne Brown): providing safety with the above approaches, while providing an environment that stretches (a balance between stretch and support). -Coach-athlete relationships that are close, committed, co-operative, and co-orientated (see work of Professor Sophia Jowett) -Optimal coaching engagement: a range of coaching practices from free play through deliberate practice through conditioned activities -Coach with strong teaching skills to enhance learning: a strong knowledge of cognitive architecture of the brain (working memory and long term memory) helping players to enjoy the process of learning -Teaching that encompasses decision-making: a strong knowledge of decision-making models -Comprehensive player development plans: what, how, why...providing players with greater certainty as to where they are with their game -Mental skills frameworks for all...shared! -Leadership and teamship development on and off the pitch (court): simple, practical ideas that give players the opportunity to experience leadership and develop both task and social cohesion -Incorporation of positive psychology practices including gratitude, optimism etc where possible Mental health and well-being in a sports setting starts with helping players have an adaptive, flexible, and positive relationship with engagement, development and performance (that isn’t to suggest that it is highly recommended that clubs with resources offer access to appropriately trained clinical professionals for mental health education and intervention, but it is to say that coach practice and coach environment matter!) It’s so important that our biggest sporting organisations/clubs sit with complexity, and strive to understand the dynamic sporting environment their participants are engaged in (and avoid making isolated and arbitrary decisions around their mental health strategies) Performance, development, mental health, and well-being are heavily integrated

When I was 21, I ruptured my ACL playing football. What followed was nearly 12 months on the sidelines. Two Surgeries, relentless rehab, and a mental battle I wasn’t prepared for. Physically, I recovered. Mentally, it was a different story. When I returned to training, something had changed. I hesitated. I pulled out of tackles I would’ve attacked without thinking. Runs that once felt instinctive became second guesses. Fear had crept in. I’d never dealt with injury before. Never broke a bone, never pulled a muscle. This was new territory and it showed. Working with a performance psychologist changed everything. They didn’t just help me “feel better”, they gave me tools to rebuild trust in my body, reframe fear, and reconnect with the player I was before the injury. It worked. In elite sport, physical preparation is only part of the equation. The mental side is just as critical, especially when adversity hits. We often talk about strength, speed, and resilience, but the ability to overcome doubt, fear, and hesitation? That’s where performance psychologists make the difference. If you’re an athlete struggling to get back to your best - don’t overlook the mind. It might be the missing piece. #MentalPerformance #SportsPsychology #InjuryRecovery #AthleteMindset #ComebackStronger

I am passionate about developing retired athletes into specialists that can deliver athlete-specific 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 working alongside licensed therapists and psychiatric providers. What is 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝? 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 is the the idea that those who have faced similar challenges can offer valuable insights and understanding to others going through similar experiences. 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 emphasizes active listening and acceptance without judgment. 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 creates a safe space where individuals feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, feelings, and experiences without fear of discrimination. 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 offers encouragement and instills hope by demonstrating that recovery is possible and that individuals can achieve their goals despite mental health challenges. While professional mental health services provide clinical support, 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 offers additional emotional and social support that safely complements formal interventions. So why do I endorse Peer Support as a part of the Onrise model? Am I afraid that a peer support specialist will miss something? Do they operate on their own? No and No. First of all...the quality of the peer support specialists combined with our team of licensed clinicians and psychiatrist that all work together provide excellent, private, accessible and affordable care. Secondly... Most people that die by suicide never access traditional mental health care. They never feel comfortable enough to reach out to one of us with initials after our names. Why? --Many individuals, athletes included, may not disclose their mental health struggles due to fear of being stigmatized. --Most populations of athletes do not have access to mental health services. This access varies widely depending on factors such as location, socioeconomic status, and cultural background. --Even when individuals recognize the need for treatment, barriers such as cost, availability of services, and lack of insurance coverage can prevent them from accessing care. --While traditional mental health treatment, such as therapy and medication, can be effective for many individuals, it is not suitable for everyone. Some individuals may not respond well to traditional treatments or may prefer alternative approaches to managing their mental health. They may choose 𝙿𝚎𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 for themselves. Addressing suicide and mental health requires an approach that goes beyond traditional mental health treatment. This includes efforts to reduce stigma, improve access to mental healthcare, promote early intervention and prevention strategies, successful engagement, addressing social determinants of health and developing welcoming models of care for those in need. #athletementalhealth #onrise #suicideprevention

A collegiate swimmer presents with worsening depression, low motivation, poor sleep, increased anxiety around meals, and declining performance. She was recently started on an SSRI after screening positive for depression, but after 8 weeks, she reports, “I don’t feel any different.” On paper, the medication choice looked reasonable. But the deeper sports pharmacy question was: Does her body have what it needs for the medication to work? She had been under-fueling for months. Protein intake was inconsistent. Carbohydrates were restricted because she feared weight gain. Labs suggested low ferritin, low vitamin D, and low B12. Her menstrual cycle had become irregular. Training load was high, recovery was poor, and her nervous system was running on fumes. The SSRI was trying to modulate serotonin signaling, but her body was missing the building blocks and cofactors needed to support neurotransmitter production, methylation, energy metabolism, and brain recovery. Tryptophan, B vitamins, iron, omega-3s, vitamin D, magnesium, zinc, and adequate total energy intake are not “extras” in this case. They are part of the pharmacologic environment. Then pharmacogenomics added another layer. Her medication was metabolized through CYP pathways, and testing revealed a CYP2C19 ultrarapid metabolizer phenotype. That meant she may have been clearing certain SSRIs faster than expected, potentially leading to lower drug exposure and reduced response. CPIC guidelines support using CYP2D6, CYP2C19, and CYP2B6 genotype results to guide SSRI prescribing decisions. So the clinical issue was not simply “the SSRI failed.” It was that the athlete was being treated as if depression existed in isolation. A sports pharmacist would look at this differently: The medication may need adjustment based on response, side effects, timing, and pharmacogenomics. The athlete needs evaluation for REDs, disordered eating, nutrient deficiencies, menstrual dysfunction, and recovery debt, since low energy availability can affect multiple body systems in athletes. A dietitian, mental health professional, physician, athletic trainer, and pharmacist should all be part of the plan. The teaching point: Medication can change signaling. But it cannot replace the substrate. For athletes, mental health care cannot stop at the prescription. The brain is not separate from fueling, recovery, hormones, genetics, or training load. Sometimes the SSRI is appropriate. Sometimes the dose or drug is wrong. Sometimes the athlete cannot respond well because the system underneath the medication is under-resourced. That is why sports pharmacy is more than a medication review. #sportspharmacy #sportsmedicine #mentalhealth #femaleathlete #womeninsports #sportsmedicine #sportsperformance #girlsinsports #athletictrainers #sportsnutrition

Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez—who has openly battled OCD—is a perfect candidate for brainspotting and somatic interventions. OCD can feel like a relentless loop, the same intrusive track playing on repeat. For athletes, it’s not just mentally exhausting—it can drain the energy and focus needed to perform at the highest level. Tools like Brainspotting, yoga, and mindfulness can break this cycle and offer relief. Brainspotting, for example, helps pinpoint where in your visual field your brain is “stuck” on obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviors. It’s like hitting pause on that endless loop. By focusing on specific eye positions, you access deeper emotional and physical layers to process what’s fueling the cycle—be it anxiety, trauma, or something else. This method taps into the brain’s natural ability to rewire itself, creating a way out of those mental loops. Yoga adds the body to the equation. Through movement and breath control, yoga anchors you in the present moment, pulling focus away from the chaos of intrusive thoughts. It’s not about escaping the mind’s chatter but quieting it through intentional grounding. On the mat, every pose and breath becomes a step toward calm and control. Mindfulness builds on this foundation, teaching you to observe thoughts without judgment. Instead of fighting or following obsessive thoughts, you learn to let them pass, like clouds drifting in the sky. Over time, this practice reduces the grip of compulsions, creating space between thought and reaction. Together, these tools offer a holistic approach to managing OCD, addressing not just the symptoms but the underlying patterns driving them. It’s about retraining your brain and body to find peace, even when your mind wants to hit replay. For athletes like Gonzalez—and for anyone facing OCD—this kind of integration can be transformative. It’s not a quick fix, but with time, patience, and practice, it can lead to profound and lasting change. — P.S. I train professional athletes and teams. I write and share stories about the intersection of somatics and elite athletics. To follow along, ring the 🔔 for all of my posts at the top of my profile. I'd love to have you be a part of this growing community!

Working with 100+ Olympic athletes taught me something crucial: The biggest performance blockers aren't physical - they're MENTAL. Here are 7 mental barriers holding back elite athletes (and how to crush them) 🧵 Most people think elite performance is about talent. WRONG. At the highest level, what separates champions isn't skill - it's their ability to overcome mental barriers. These silent killers sabotage even the most gifted athletes. Mental Barrier 1: Self-Doubt The biggest confidence killer: • "Do I belong here?" • "Am I good enough?" • "Can I perform under pressure?" The Champion's Solution: • Track preparation ✓ • Challenge negative self-talk • Document past wins Mental Barrier 2: Focus Disruption Even Olympians struggle with racing thoughts. The Focus Framework: 1. Build a pre-performance routine 2. Practice present-moment awareness 3. Use ONE power cue Remember: Focus isn't fixed - it's trainable 💪 Mental Barrier 3: Performance Anxiety The cycle: Worry → Poor Performance → More Worry Break free by: • Reframing nerves as readiness • Using tactical breathing (longer exhales) • Focusing on process vs outcome Mental Barrier 4: Opinion Prison FOPO (Fear of Other People's Opinions) kills performance. The Liberation Protocol: • Ask "What's in my control?" • Build internal validation • Trust your training Stop performing for others. Start performing for yourself. Mental Barrier 5: Coach Conflicts Research shows: Leadership conflicts = #1 Olympic stressor The Solution Stack: • Direct communication • Control your response • Use feedback as fuel Remember: Conflict doesn't have to mean chaos. Mental Barrier 6: Limiting Beliefs The silent dream-killers: "I'll never..." "I can't..." "I should be..." Break Through By: • Questioning thought validity • Celebrating progress • Building evidence of capability Mental Barrier 7: Mistake Management Most athletes get stuck in the past. The Reset Recipe: • Develop a bounce-back routine • Evaluate without emotion • Stay present-focused Pro Tip: Mistakes are moments, not identities. The truth about mental barriers: They're not permanent. They're not who you are. They're challenges waiting to be crushed. Ready to level up? Pick ONE barrier. Take ONE action. Start TODAY. Follow for more elite performance insights!