Beyond Performance: Supporting the Whole Athlete’s Mental Health

Kinsey Irvin, PCLC

When most people think of athletes, they think of performance. Sports psychologists, coaches, and trainers are focused on one goal: getting athletes to play better, stronger, faster. That support is valuable, but it often leaves out something essential; the whole person behind the uniform.

Athletes are more than the game they play. Their mental health, identity, and relationships are just as important as their stats. While sports psychology tends to ask “How do we make you the best at your sport?”, therapy looks at the bigger picture: “Who are you outside of your sport? How do you manage stress, perfectionism, and the pressure to succeed?”

The Pressures Athletes Face

Teen and young adult athletes carry unique weight. Studies show that athletes experience mental health challenges at similar, and sometimes higher, rates than non-athletes, yet they are far less likely to seek help. For many, their identity is tied so closely to their sport that imagining life outside of it feels impossible.

• Identity loss is real. When an athlete gets injured, ages out, or makes the decision to stop playing, the sudden absence of their sport can lead to feelings of emptiness, depression, or even risky coping strategies.
• Perfectionism is intense. In sports like dance, cheer, and swimming, the culture of “fix every mistake” and the visibility of performing in front of others amplifies pressure and body image concerns.
• Silence is common. Athletes often feel they can’t be honest about struggles for fear of losing their place on the team. Having a therapist who “won’t bench them” can be life-changing.

Supporting Athletes as Whole Humans

Sports may be temporary, but mental health and identity last a lifetime. Therapy gives athletes tools not only to manage performance anxiety but also to navigate relationships, build resilience, and prepare for life beyond the game.

At Brighter Sky Counseling, we’re here to walk with athletes through the highs of victory, the lows of injury or transition, and the everyday stress in between. Because being an athlete is just one part of who they are and they deserve support for their whole selves.