Why Athlete Mental Health Matters to Me

Sports have always been a huge part of my life. I grew up in a competitive, sports-heavy family. My dad coached, my older siblings and cousins were setting records, and I am even the granddaughter of an Olympian. Athletics were woven into my upbringing from the very beginning. Practices, games, training schedules, competition, pressure, identity, expectations, commitment. It was everywhere, and in many ways, it shaped who I became.

And truthfully? I do not hate sports because of that experience.

I learned so much about myself through athletics. Sports taught me discipline, resilience, teamwork, leadership, work ethic, accountability, confidence, and how to show up even on difficult days. Those lessons became transferable characteristics that followed me far beyond the court.

But sports also taught me something else:
our minds need care too.

Throughout my athletic career, I learned the importance of training, strengthening, appreciating, and resting my body. Recovery mattered. Nutrition mattered. Sleep mattered. Injury prevention mattered. Eventually, I realized mental health deserved that same level of attention. Because athletes are not machines. They are human beings carrying pressure, expectations, fears, stress, identity struggles, injuries, transitions, self-doubt, comparison, perfectionism, and emotions that often stay hidden behind performance.

Late in high school and into college, I started realizing that a career combining both athletics and mental health was exactly what I hoped for. I wanted to work in a space where I could stay connected to sports while also helping athletes care for themselves as whole people. That realization eventually led me to pursue my Master’s in Social Work and become a therapist passionate about athlete mental health and performance.

Yes — both.

I care deeply about athlete well-being, and I care about performance too. The two are not separate. Mental health impacts confidence, focus, recovery, motivation, relationships, leadership, enjoyment of sport, and the ability to perform under pressure. Taking care of mental health does not make athletes weak; it helps support sustainable performance and healthier humans.

I want more people in the sports world to understand that. I want athletes to understand that struggling mentally does not erase their strength. I want parents to recognize that their child is more than a stat line, scholarship, or roster spot. I want coaches to know they can create environments that build both mentally healthy and high-performing athletes. I want trainers, teachers, athletic directors, and support staff to see mental health conversations as essential rather than optional.

Athletes deserve support not only when they are succeeding, but also when they are injured, overwhelmed, burnt out, anxious, grieving, transitioning, or questioning who they are outside of their sport.

That last part especially matters to me. So many athletes grow up closely identifying with their jersey number, their role, their stats, or the sport they have played for years. Then one day, whether through graduation, injury, retirement, burnout, or life transition, sport changes or comes to an end. That transition can feel incredibly disorienting.

Who am I without my sport?
What happens when the structure is gone?
What do I do with all the time, energy, and identity that once revolved around athletics?

I want to be a resource for those athletes too, former and retired, athletes navigating life after sport and reconnecting with purpose outside of competition.

I’m genuinely grateful to be able to offer this kind of support through Lilly Wehman Counseling. Being able to sit with athletes in these moments, whether they are in-season, injured, struggling mentally, or transitioning out of sport, is something I value deeply. It’s also something I am committed to continuing to grow in, refine, and advocate for. The more I work in this space, the more I want to expand access, normalize these conversations, and keep building care that meets athletes as whole people.