Resources
Professional Athletes Talking About Mental Health
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“My hope for the future is that this is just the beginning and that athletes have a safe space where their mental health will be a priority in whatever sport they are competing in.”
Gabby Seiler Kessler, Retired Professional Soccer
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“I’ve had my own struggles with mental health, and feel it is a topic that is left untouched in many minority communities and the world of sports.”
Natasha Hastings, Olympic Track and Field
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“This is the story on how to overcome and deal with mental health issues during a career-ending injury and how to deal with the fact that a lifelong dream can be taken from you in a short period of time.”
Mattis Koch, Retired College Soccer
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“As student-athletes, we must know how to deal with the biggest pressures of school, sports, and family/social life. We must act on student athlete’s mental health as many of us currently fight the battle but don’t seek out help.”
Aaron Kurtzman, Montclair State Football
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“I was never sure if my hockey career would continue past college, although that was always my goal, and the ease of my decision to step away from sport was proof that the way I was functioning, internalizing everything and putting my head second behind my body, was unsustainable and damaging.”
Terra Lanteigne, Retired Professional Ice Hockey
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“The idea that success in one’s sport can negatively affect one’s mental health, identity, and love for the sport they compete in is not as commonly discussed. “
Cat Salladin, Rutgers Swimming ’22
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“I hope we change the narrative of mental health and instead of viewing these challenges as weakness, we admire the person’s effort to do their best each and every day.”
Mariah Parsons, Notre Dame Rowing ’21
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When it comes to mental health, I’ve found it’s good to be open minded. Mental health is your well-being. Therapy can be such a useful tool, a place to unpack who we are and how we can best live our lives—just as important as a dentist or a trainer when it comes to maintaining a baseline of health. We can all benefit from having an extra support system, because sometimes life is hard and it’s important to have someone you can talk to.”
Lindsey Vonn, Olympian Gold Medalist
Videos & Articles on Athlete Mental Health
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TED Talk
Athletes and Mental Health: The Hidden Opponent
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Harvard Business Review
Athletes Are Shifting the Narrative Around Mental Health at Work
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CNN
Why mental health matters for athletes – even as they give their all to win
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Olympics
Gold Medalist Lindsey Vonn talks therapy
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Adelphi Psych Medicine
PGA Master Pro Uses EMDR to Treat Athletic Trauma
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The Sports Journal
Traumatic Swimming Events Reprocessed with EMDR