It is common for athletes to take time to recover after spraining an ankle or breaking a wrist. Those injuries are easy to see and come with a clear understanding that they cannot be ignored. But what about when athletes need to step away to tend to their mental health needs?

Depression and anxiety are not diagnoses evident on an X-ray or MRI, but they can be every bit as limiting or debilitating as a physical injury. Too often, however, these issues are ignored in the name of grit.

Let's talk and understand more about how mental health can affect athletic performance and why athletes should prioritize mental health in the new episode of Reach for Understanding with Joe Oria and Thomas Franchi!