Resources for Coaches
Athletes sometimes face significant mental health challenges, and coaches can play a crucial role in recognizing distress, responding with empathy and support, and implementing proactive, stigma-free strategies to foster athletes' mental well-being and team cohesion.
(downloadable resource from the JED Foundation)
The pressures experienced by athletes, stemming both from internal and external sources, can contribute to rapid declines in mental health. This resource from McLean Hospital discusses;
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Which factors influence athletes’ mental health
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How to address mental health concerns in athletes
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How to destigmatize mental health concerns in the sports world
This video from McLean Hospital features a conversation with David J. Alperovitz, PsyD, and Suzanne Potts, LMSW, MPH, on supporting young athletes and the mental well-being struggles they may encounter. Watch to learn about:
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How the pressure faced by young athletes impacts their performance and well-being
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Which mental health challenges are common among student athletes
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How to enhance coping skills and reduce stigma surrounding athlete mental health
This video from McLean Hospital features a conversation with Abigail Stark, PhD, on how we can help young athletes train their mental health muscles. Cali Werner, LCSW, also shares her own experiences as a young person with OCD and an elite athlete. Watch to learn about:
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Why resilience is important for student athletes
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How young athletes can develop resilience
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How parents and coaches can help student athletes
In this recorded webinar, Cali Werner, LCSW, shares ways to spot signs and symptoms of mental health challenges in athletes, discusses how we can talk to our kids about mental health, and answers questions about how we can all work toward lessening the pressures student athletes feel from all angles.
(2022 article from Sports Health by Jane M. Simoni, PhD)
(2024 article from Education Week by Madeline Will)
(2022 article on Psychology Today by Laura M. Miele, Ph.D.)
(2022 article on Global Sport Matters by Jon Solomon)
