Unit3d w/ B1G Team at Indiana University

When we talk about identity, we often think about “pieces” of who we are.  Charlotte Warren, LCSW and Clinical Counselor for University of Georgia Athletics takes more of a holistic approach when discussing identity, recognizing that who we are moves through our different roles.  In this episode of Unit3d, we discuss this holistic view of identity as well as ways student-athletes can develop diffe...

Female bodybuilder Gaby Contreras grew up in a family of sport, seeing herself as “the volleyball player”.  She struggled throughout her early life with her mental health and dealt with depression, identity confusion, isolation, and self-harm.  Her search for herself after leaving volleyball led her to rising out of that dark place to working actively and daily on her mental health, including her...

Do you have a “no excuses” mindset?  Are you fearful that others will say you are making “excuses” for not executing fully? In athletics we often value the mindset of not letting anything get in our way, but a hard core “no excuses” mentality can cause us to blame ourselves when things outside of our control prohibit us from doing what we think we should be doing.  Dr. Joanna Foss discusses the di...

Emily Esposito always dreamed of playing basketball in college.  She worked and sacrificed and didn’t notice losing herself in the process.  Emily struggled with identity, depression, and had to make difficult decisions in order to find herself and her voice.  Now Emily is sharing her story and encouraging other collegiate athletes to do the same.  As she says, “You can’t tell your story before it...

Are you feeling anxious about starting a new semester?  Do you often feel tense before starting a new season?  Most people do, but the mindset we choose when approaching the beginning of things can help us feel excited and ready.  It has been said that curiosity is the cure for anxiety.  Dr. Tom Golightly joins Unit3d again to talk about how going in to new territory open to possibilities rather t...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  Checking In with Morgan Weaver is Kym Hilinski's pick.  Morgan Weaver is a professional soccer player for the NWSL team the Portland Thorns.  She was an athlete at Washington State University at the time of Tyle...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  What Do You Think of Me Now? is Mark Hilinski's pick.  We all care what others think of us, that is a normal part of life as a social creature.  However, caring what other’s think is different than having fear a...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  So F'ing Perfect is Dr. Marie Worsham's pick.   Athletes are driven to succeed and wanting to improve and be the best we can be is admirable.  However, there are times when the mindset of being the best can be u...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  Overall #1:Spencer Torkelson is Christine Lombardi's pick.  Spencer Torkelson grew up with a great deal of hype surrounding his baseball career.  He was always known as a baseball player and was drafted as the n...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  If I Knew Then...Tina Cvetkovic is Terka's Janatova's pick.  Whenever we look back on the past we can see things from a different perspective and with knowledge of how things turn out.  Often when we examine the...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  Drew Robinson:My Story of Surviving is Chelsi Battle's pick.   Every time someone shares their authentic story of mental health struggle, the stigma is reduced. This is particularly the case when athletes use th...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  Bored in the House:Tempted to Use is Brian Simmons pick.  Boredom, stress, anxiety and not having a time line for our next end goal can all be reasons that can lead to temptations to turn to drugs and and alcoho...

During the months of June and July, the Unit3d team is taking a break.  We have asked people close to the podcast to choose their favorite episode to air as a "ReUnit3d" during this time.  Grind to a Fault is Dr. Tom Golightly's pick.  We are all familiar with the “grind,” and working hard is an exalted characteristic.  We live in a culture of “grind it out” where everything around us tells us tha...

We call summer a “break” but do we really know how to rest?  Relaxing can be challenging for those who are typically very productive; its difficult to view rest times as productive.  On this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Lee Dorpfeld of the University of South Florida shares great insight and tips for relaxing and recovering during times of break so we can recharge for the coming semester.

Taking the first step to contact a mental health professional when things aren't going well can be very difficult but it can start you down a new path toward hope and healing.  University of Massachusetts field hockey player Lindsay Kilpatrick courageously took that step and changed the narrative of her story in a powerful way.  At one time fearful because of the stigma that surrounds mental illne...

Throughout our life we all experience a number of transitions.  Closing the chapter of playing collegiate sports can bring up identity struggles for many, as well as a feeling of being lost or unsure as to what’s next.  In this episode of Unit3d, Dr. Bassey Akpan discusses the transition for athletes from collegiate sports into the next chapter and how being an athlete has offered preparation one...

Athletes are driven to succeed in their sport.  This drive is often revered by many as an enviable trait; however, this drive can lead some to adopt a “whatever it takes” mentality.  Disordered eating or eating disorders can be an outcome of this desire to do everything within one’s control to succeed.  Rachael Steil has fought the battle to recover from an eating disorder and shares her powerful...

Being a student athlete is hard enough, but doing it all with a chronic illness?  That’s what Mackenzie Fitzpatrick, a softball player for the University of Connecticut,  struggled with as she battled to keep up a positive appearance despite suffering from depression.  Having recognized how stigma kept her from getting all of the support she needed early in her struggle, she has become a mental he...

We all care what others think of us, that is a normal part of life as a social creature.  However, caring what other’s think is different than having fear around what others think and that distinction is important.  When we fear judgment from others we can change our behavior to be less true to ourselves, censoring our true thoughts and actions.  We also are vulnerable to internalizing what we bel...

There has been a great push to encourage others to ask for help when help is needed.  It sounds simple, but simple is not always easy.  Asking for help is often something that people, especially athletes and men, have a great deal of difficulty doing as it requires vulnerability. Dr. Jamey Houle talks about the difficulties in asking for help, why it is so important for us to do, and ways to break...

Getting through the last two years of the Covid-19 pandemic and all that happened has been tough, but here we are in 2022!  Things are getting back to some semblance of normalcy, but so many things are not the same.  It’s important to pause and acknowledge these changes, as they have strongly impacted the student-athlete experience.  Dr. Carolyn Davis, who works with athletes at the historically B...

Whenever we look back on the past we can see things from a different perspective and with knowledge of how things turn out.  Often when we examine the past with the information we have in the present, we would have done things differently.  But back then, we didn’t have all the information so we must know we did the best we could and have compassion for the way we handled the challenges of our liv...

Confidence is a key pillar to good performance, however, we tend to give less thought to the role confidence plays in our mental health.  Junior women’s soccer player for the University of Iowa, Sam Cary, understands the connection and has experienced the mental health challenges that come with trying to mute the inner voice that owns her abilities and strengths. She has a passion for mental healt...

When we work in pursuit of a singular goal it can be easy to believe that if we achieve that one thing, everything after will be perfect.  Steve Mesler, Olympic Gold medalist for USA bobsledding, worked toward the gold-medal goal for 10 years and achieved his dream.  He found that winning feeling didn’t last.  Steve talks about the mindset that helped him achieve so much and what he learned from t...

We are all familiar with the “grind,” and working hard is an exalted characteristic.  We live in a culture of “grind it out” where everything around us tells us that hard work is the ultimate path to success.  However, this work harder culture does not give us much room for feeling good about taking time for ourselves to rest, recover, and recharge.  Dr. Sonali Wason talks on Unit3d about the draw...