A coalition of mental health clinicians, athletes, parents and coaches team up to normalize mental health by promoting education and engagement, while removing barriers.

BEND, Ore., Nov. 29, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — A community of licensed mental health clinicians, athletes, coaches and parents have teamed up to launch the Athletes Mental Health Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young athletes understand and address their internal well-being.

The launch comes on the heels of studies that show many young athletes struggle with mental health issues yet do not seek treatment, as well as the founders’ own experiences with high-level athletics and as licensed clinicians. Indeed, recent studies show that:

• Only 10% of college athletes with known mental health conditions seek care from a mental health professional.
• The top three reasons that young elite athletes don’t seek mental health help are: 1) not knowing about mental disorders or symptoms, 2) not knowing when they need help, and 3) stigma associated with seeking help
• Evaluations of youth elite athletes performed by trained professionals found that 16.9% were currently experiencing at least one mental disorder, with a lifetime prevalence of 25.1%

“We believe that mental wellbeing is essential to an athlete’s success in sport, education, and life after competition,” says Katie Steele, executive director. “When an athlete is healthy, inside and out – their enjoyment, empowerment, and performance are all enhanced.”

“We want to empower young athletes to identify mental health concerns and seek care,” said Dr. Tiffany Brown, Chief Science Officer. “Together, we can help them find more love for their sport and perform better through enhanced mental wellness.”

Anyone interested in becoming a member of the Athletes Mental Health Foundation may do so, at no cost, on the Foundation’s website. Members have access to the most up-to-date research, data, and articles about athlete mental health, and on topics including anxiety, depression, eating disorders, puberty, substance use, suicide, self-harm, and more. Members can also interact with licensed mental health experts, read interviews with athletic and mental health professionals, can participate in ongoing research projects, and take part in virtual events as well as daily interactive discussions on the member’s forum.

It is also important to note that a big priority for the Athletes Mental Health Foundation is to help normalize mental health needs beyond just the more serious symptomology and/or diagnoses.

“We want athletes, parents, coaches, and athletic directors to be able to talk about the full spectrum of mental health needs and concerns, whether it’s just frustration or sadness, or something more serious. We believe that with the tools and framework available via the Athletes Mental Health Foundation, we can have a positive impact on athlete mental health outcomes,” added Dr. Brown.

“We want to ensure that athletes are able to stay connected to the passion they have for the game they love,” added Katie Steele. “In order to do that, we know that mental health integration is a critical, so we designed the Athletes Mental Health Foundation to be a place from which participants walk away feeling informed and energized, knowing what needs to be done for change to happen.”

For more information, to become a member, or to make a financial donation that will enable the Foundation to reach more young athletes, please visit the Athletes Mental Health Foundation website.

About Athletes Mental Health Foundation

Athletes Mental Health Foundation is a community of licensed mental health clinicians, athletes, coaches, and parents who have teamed up to create a non-profit organization dedicated to helping young athletes understand and address their internal wellbeing. Its goals are to normalize mental health by promoting education and engagement, to enable everyone involved in athletics to be able to talk about the full spectrum of mental health needs and concerns whether routine or more serious, and to optimize the integration of mental health into athletic systems.

About Katie Steele, LMFT, Executive Director

Katie Steele became passionate about mental health and athletics after a negative experience as a D1 athlete. She earned her graduate degree in Couples and Family Therapy at the University of Oregon. Katie is a licensed marriage & family therapist and co-founder of Thrive Mental Health, an outpatient mental health clinic in Bend, Oregon. Katie is a mom to three children with her husband, Adam Steele (2003 NCAA Champion in the 400-meter dash), who also serves as Chief Operating Officer of Athletes Mental Health Foundation.

About Dr. Tiffany Brown, Chief Science Officer

Dr. Tiffany Brown is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and Senior Lecturer II and Clinical Director in the Couples and Family Therapy graduate program at the University of Oregon. She received her doctoral degree at Texas Tech University. She has also served as an athlete mentor in Student-Athlete Development at the University of Oregon; this program matches current student-athletes with a mentor for career guidance, mentorship, and support. A therapist for two decades, Dr. Brown is fiercely committed to supporting athletes by turning toward their own mental health wellness during and after sport.

For more information, to become a member, or to make a financial donation that will enable the Foundation to reach more young athletes, please visit the Athletes Mental Health Foundation website.

Media Contact

Chris Roslan, Roslan & Associates Public Relations, 1 9175385629, [email protected]

SOURCE Athletes Mental Health Foundation