Establishing Comprehensive Mental Health Programs in Athletics Departments

Rising Rates of Mental Distress

In response to the rising rates of mental distress, comprehensive mental health programs are becoming essential in athletics departments. Conducted in 2020, research by the Sport Science Institute highlighted the need for targeted support for female athletes, student-athletes of color, and those identifying within the LGBTQ+ community, who all report elevated rates of mental exhaustion and distress. This includes addressing financial worries and the pressures unique to these groups, such as reporting family economic hardship.

Will an athlete seek out the support?

Creating programs that are accessible and inclusive is key. This means having mental health providers on campus who are trained to understand the specific challenges faced by student-athletes. It's about making sure athletes feel comfortable personally seeking support and ensuring they don't have to go through these challenges alone. Coaches across all three NCAA divisions are now spending more time discussing mental health with student-athletes, a step that not only helps in supporting student-athlete mental well-being but also in raising mental health awareness among the sports community.

Welcome to Wellness

This blog will cover topics related to childhood through adulthood. This also includes all the life stages along the way on this journey of life. Thank you for the last approximately 59 seconds of your life that you spent here with me reading this blog post.

Wane Wellness works with children, adolescents, adults, parents, couples and families. One specialty in my practice is my work with athletes. Mental health counseling for athletes is an extremely rewarding experience and I have been able to collaborate with athletes of all ages.

I invite you to learn more about Wane Wellness here. For the more social, I can be found on most platforms @wanewellness.