The Importance of a Mental Training Program
Written in collaboration with WellU and Ryte Sport.
The mental health and well-being of athletes has always been relevant through the history of sports. Issues such as race, gender, and sexual exploitation have created political protests and conversations that have reached the Olympic platform. Depression, anxiety, drug abuse and disordered eating are just a few of the clinical aspects that elite athletes struggle with just like everyday people. Fortunately, and as of recently, popular media has begun to open the door to the previously mentioned issues. However, these are just some of the human challenges competitive athletes face on top of the mental performance areas to compete, win and find success.
The main concentration of mental training emphasizes specific psychological skill development learned systematically over time to promote performance improvement through behavior change, awareness, and general well-being. Athletes can find within themselves the tools to proactively cope with many life stressors they face as humans. All the while, athletes learn new mental skills for performance demands to reach their athletic potential as individuals and teams.
