The College Program That De-Stigmatizes Mental Health Care in Sports

....Harris pointed her towards The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS), a mental health program custom-tailored for athletes at UNLV. Buoyed by more positive, optimization-driven messaging, performance coaches—read: therapists—with athletic backgrounds, and all the trappings of any nutrition or conditioning room, Ziff began to make progress. She worked with her performance coach, Marina Galante, whose history in gymnastics immediately resonated with Ziff. “Gymnastics mentally is so hard,” Ziff says. “And especially with eating.”

Galante and Ziff met to prioritize and establish her treatment goals. A support team—key to TOPPS treatment strategy—was developed for her, including her parents.....

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Bethany`s Notes: A very good read. I would highly recommend a support team approach. No one person (therapist, coach, teammates, parents, etc..) should address this issue alone. I believe getting everyone on board to find ways to support an individual through the challenges of mental illness can be the best approach.