Insights

As an athlete, you understand the dedication, discipline, and passion required to excel in your sport. However, the intense physical and mental demands of training and competition can take a toll on your overall well-being if not properly managed. Maintaining a healthy balance between your sports commitments and your mental health is crucial for achieving optimal performance and long-term success.

We've all been there—lying in bed at night, staring at the ceiling, replaying that awkward conversation from three days ago for the hundredth time. Overthinking. It's like having an annoying roommate in your brain that just won't stop talking. Whether it's analyzing every little detail of a text message or worrying about a meeting next week, overthinking can take up way too much of our mental real estate. So, what's the deal with it? More importantly, how can we stop it? 

In August 2024, the sports world will witness the launch of The Playbook, an innovative software platform designed to transform how athletes and sports organizations approach mental health and well-being. T.M. Robinson-Mosley, Ph.D., a second-generation counseling psychologist with a rich background in sports mental health, has been working on developing The Playbook since 2018. This new software aims to fill a large gap in the current intersection between athlete well-being and performance.

Concierge psychiatry and therapy is a personalized approach to mental healthcare that prioritizes the individual needs of each patient. Unlike traditional psychiatric and therapy practices, concierge services offer a more comprehensive and tailored experience, with a focus on building long-term relationships between patients and their providers.

Jared Schoenfeld spent over 15 successful years in the sports entertainment industry as an executive. I sat down with him to discuss how he pivoted from a career in sports entertainment to one focusing on mental health and well-being. In 2011, he received global recognition by SportsPro Media as one of the ten young leaders in the sports business, and in 2015, he was nominated for Forbes’ 30 under 30 list.

The Boston Celtics’ triumphant journey to an NBA championship is frequently attributed to their on-court prowess and physical performance. However, a crucial and less visible component of their success can also be attributed to their comprehensive Mind Health and Wellness program.

Matt Forté is a celebrated NFL star and former Chicago Bears running back who is well known for his exceptional skills. Forté sat down with me to discuss his own experiences with mental health and his transition out of the NFL. He candidly opened up about the pressures he faced as an elite athlete in the NFL and the impact of injuries on his overall mental health and well-being.

In sports, the question isn’t if an athlete will get injured, but when. In many professional sporting environments, there’s a large emphasis on physical training and preparation, including strength and conditioning, physical therapy, massage, etc. Just as athletes train physically to stay healthy and strong, there is also a growing focus on mental training. Through developing strong coping skills, resilience, and a positive mindset, athletes can strengthen these protective psychological factors that can improve their response to injury.

With summertime swinging in full force, social media and screen time usage among children and adolescents have become prominent topics of discussions in most parenting circles.

There has been a rapid rise in media coverage surrounding athlete mental health, and I have seen firsthand the increasing need for professional mental health services within sports at all levels. Through my work as a Concierge Sports & Performance Psychiatrist with NBA, MLB, and NFL players, I have witnessed the transformative power that working with a sports psychiatrist can have on athlete well-being. Not only can that work positively impact athletes’ professional lives, but it also helps in their personal lives, as they learn to cope with stressors, as well as set healthy boundaries with those around them.