What past life experiences, physical traumas or genetics do you believe have had an effect on your mental health?

I have always been somewhat psychologically aware, as my mother was an amazing ambassador for the power of self-awareness & the journey to get there. From an early age, it was not uncommon to meet w a psychologist, just to have a check in & see how things were going. Because of that, I never saw the counseling profession having a negative stigma, but instead saw it as an additive in my life.

When I was playing baseball in college, I struggled with my own expectations & learning how to be vulnerable. I was good at failing. I was terrible at succeeding. I had the story written before it ever happened too. It wasn’t until I learned the power of my own mental game did I learn to become ok with success.

Later, I started struggling w anxiety & panic attacks, & was able to navigate through them from my experience as a psychologist, but also through my understanding of mindfulness. The pain of the moment was able to be ridden instead of fought.

What methods helped you individually get/feel better?

Understanding the psychological aspects of my performance as an athlete, experiencing & working through anxiety as a graduate student & adult, & then working as a psychologist have helped me to see life in a perspective of riding the wave instead of swimming upstream. I cannot change the fact that I tend to be more anxious, but that anxiety is actually good for me. It helps me be more engaged & invested in the clients I work w, to be more vibrant in my experiences, & realize that the way I see the world is my way.

Growing up in a family where meeting w a psychologist was normal, it was not hard to ask for help. I know that is not the case for others, but I hope that my work as a clinical & sports psychologist can help athletes see the value in such consultations & trust that relationship in the future.

I practice my version of mindfulness – I don’t say that to sell a way, but instead, I read & learn from many different practitioners & find a little bit of each that I enjoy. One of my favorite things to do is wake up in the morning & go have breakfast by myself, bc it allows me the morning to capture my plan for the day & center myself mentally. As a child, I used to dread the mornings, worrying about the day, but this has given me a tool to face the chaos & uncertainty in the manner that works for me.

How did people react when you went public with your story?

People have reacted to my #SameHere🤙 story as I’ve shared it very positively – why not? We are all dealing with something & learning to live in this wild world. To live without struggle or suffering is impossible, so it is just one aspect of who I am.