The Mental Matchup: Recent Episodes
The Mental Matchup
Presented by Morgan’s Message, The Mental Matchup is a podcast focused on opening up dialogue about athlete mental health. Co-hosts Kat Zempolich and Schuyler DeBree are both former division one athletes who attended Duke University, and are passionate about making sure no one feels alone in their mental health challenges.
85: Today we’re sitting down with former Division 1 baseball student-athlete and professional baseball player, Dario Pizzano. Dario joins us today to discuss his experience playing professional baseball, how his transition from professional sports to a “desk job” has impacted his mental health, his ability to ask for help, and his passion project, Mission Stadiums for Multiple Sclerosis a non-profit whose mission is to raise awareness of MS while raising funds and hoping to find a cure for MS.
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Lexi Guerin. Lexi is based out of Minnesota and plays lacrosse at Arizona State University. Throughout the episode, Lexi walks us through transferring to boarding school in high school, why she decided to play collegiate lacrosse, and her recruiting process. It’s a jam-packed, ca n’t-miss episode!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Jenna Mango. Jenna is a certified personal trainer, fitness nutrition specialist and the author of the book Choose to R1se. The book focuses on striving to become the best version of yourself and ultimately getting 1% better every day. Throughout the episode, Jenna touches on her experience with bullying, therapy, and dealing with an invisible illness. Her book and the story that she shares with us on the podcast is a great reminder to rise up and tackle whatever may be in front of you with confidence!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Kelsey Thoensen. Kelsey is from New Holland, Pennsylvania, and played collegiate lacrosse at Slippery Rock University. During her senior year of school, she was diagnosed with Melanoma and also developed a stress fracture in her hip that prohibited her from playing lacrosse. During the episode, Kelsey shares how each difficult event in her life initially seemed like the worst thing in the world, but how she managed to get through each setback and ultimately discover her love of coaching.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat and Schuyler speak with Ky Lane. Ky grew up in Maryland and fell in love with the sport of lacrosse. During the episode, Ky opens up about his intrusive thoughts, the importance of prioritizing your own happiness, and his efforts to get his friends to open up about their feelings. Ky is currently a social media influencer and pursuing his acting career. We are so grateful to have him on the podcast to share his experience and wisdom with our audience!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Kayla Mitchell. Kayla grew up in Long Island surrounded by an Italian family that sparked her interest in food. During the episode, Kayla opens up about how her knowledge of food turned into a fear of food and how diet culture impacted her early in high school. She also talks about her experience in a residential eating disorder program and starting intensive outpatient treatment. Kayla is extremely open and honest throughout the episode and we are so appreciative to have her join us and share her story. After listening to Kayla’s episode, go check out her 3 stories posted to The Mental Matchup stories site titled “Life Map”, “Avoidance” and “Writing”!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat and Schuyler are joined by Jarett LoRusso. Jarett grew up in Purcellville, VA, and is currently getting his Master’s degree at the University of Richmond. Throughout the episode, Jarett walks us through his recruiting process, being injured for the majority of his career, and how his relationships benefitted when he opened up about his feelings.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, we are kicking off Season 5 with Alex Concannon. Alex grew up in Long Island playing multiple different sports before deciding to ultimately pursue his lacrosse career. He committed to play college lacrosse at Johns Hopkins for four years and finished out his career playing at Hofstra. As a player, he dealt with having to navigate injuries and handling his emotions that were being affected by things on and off the field. Alex opens up about his life after college. We are so lucky to have Alex on the podcast this week!
This week we have a special holiday podcast episode! Kat is joined by a close friend and mental health advocate Leeann Passaro. Leeann is the COO of The Hidden Opponent, a non-profit focused on breaking the stigma of mental health in athletics. During the episode, Kat and Leeann sit down to chat about different lessons they’ve learned throughout the past year and things they will take with them into 2023. Don’t forget to check out The Hidden Opponent’s instagram @thehiddenopponent. Thank you to everyone for your support this past year and cheers to the New Year!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Emily Cole. Emily is a collegiate athlete on the Duke University Cross Country team. Emily is candid about her own experience with food and how seemingly “health eating” can potentially be detrimental mentally and physically. As an athlete, it’s important to recognize the importance of prioritizing your health in order to optimize performance. As a female athlete, we are lucky to have Emily on the podcast to share her own story and continue a dialogue surrounding how your body performs versus how you look. Check out her book, The Player’s Plate, on Amazon!
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Tori Bates. Tori grew up in Maryland and played collegiate lacrosse at the University of Florida. Throughout the episode, Tori opens up about her experience as an athlete dealing with multiple injuries and the different side effects that many people can experience, like more restricted eating and depression. Tori and Kat also discuss the importance of focusing on the overall long-term health of herself both mentally and physically. After listening to the podcast, don’t forget to check out Tori’s story “More Than a Number” on the Morgan’s Message site under The Mental Matchup Podcast: Stories!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, we are joined by Kristyna Bertolone aka “Coach K”. Coach K is a former collegiate softball player and founded Game Changers, a platform that specializes in mental performance coaching. In the episode, Kat and Coach K cover many valuable topics such as controlling the controllables, reacting vs responding to a situation, and asking yourself important questions such as “who are you at your best” to optimize personal and sports performance. After listening to the episode, go check out Game Changers site and social media presence on Instagram and TikTok!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Jillian Schumacher. After going through the recruiting process for lacrosse, Jillian ultimately decided not to play in college and attend Ohio State. Once she got to Ohio State, Jillian realized she should’ve pursued college lacrosse and transferred to UMass Lowell. Throughout the episode, Jillian opens up about her own recruiting process, transferring to go play lacrosse at a Division I program, and experiencing anxiety while playing. She also touches on the impact that a positive mindset can have on an individual's sports performance. Thank you for coming on and sharing your story, Jillian!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Kaitlyn Coffman. Kaitlyn is from California and a senior on The Ohio State University softball team. Growing up, she dealt with softball being her entire identity, focusing on her performance over different relationships within her life. During the episode, Kaitlyn discusses her experience of finding a friend attempting suicide and also her own mental health struggles. She is also open about her therapy and medication and we are lucky to have her as a guest this week to share her story!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat connects with Maxwell Nagle. Max grew up in Northern Virginia and always had a love for sports. His love for basketball drew him to try out for the Hollins University basketball team where he earned a walk-on position to the team. Throughout the episode, Max opens up about his experience starting to use he/him pronouns at an all girls college. He also discusses the differences between having small and big feelings and how you can find a strong support system to help manage these feelings. Max is extremely open during the episode and we are lucky to have him join us this week!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down with Casey Kroll. Casey played football at James Madison University in Virginia and is currently the CEO and co-founder of The Big Man Foundation. The organization was founded in 2021 after the passing of his former coach to help provide social, emotional, and financial support for coaches and their families who are dealing with difficult times due to illness or other unexpected circumstances. Throughout the episode, Casey opens about his experience with college football, the importance of having a supportive coach, and the impact that coaches can have on players.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down with Audrey Stringer. Audrey played college volleyball at Kutztown University in Pennsylvania and graduated in 2016. Throughout the episode, Audrey opens up about different coping mechanisms that she dealt with while dealing with anxiety and how hypnosis and meditation can be amazing tools to start healing. She is extremely open about her journey and we are lucky to have her on the podcast!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Chuck Thuss. Chuck is a Canadian native who played professional ice hockey and is currently a public speaker. Chuck played collegiate ice hockey at Miami University in Ohio before continuing his career as a professional hockey player for many seasons. After playing and coaching, he became a Certified Professional Coach and started Compassionate Connection, a platform that helps individuals live up to their full potential and achieve their goals. Throughout the episode, Kat and Chuck go over his own hockey experience, the importance of a strong support system and how his own journey has shaped his job now of helping others.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Dan Wolfe. Dan has worked in education for over 20 years and is currently a Vice Principal for a school in Pasco County, Florida. He focuses on Social Emotional Learning (SEL), which is an aspect of education that highlights the importance of taking care of the social and emotional needs of a student. Throughout the episode, we touch on his own experience of writing a book, “Becoming the Change: Five Essential Elements to Being Your Best Self”, geared towards the importance of an individual’s social and emotional well-being. We are so excited to have Dan on the podcast to share his knowledge!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Nicolette Caneda. Nicolette is currently a sophomore soccer player at Manhattan College in New York City. Throughout this episode, Nicolette speaks on her experience growing up as an athlete dealing with the pressures of perfectionism and living with an eating disorder. She unpacks her own journey and also touches on the importance of supporting and understanding triggers for others who may be going through similar experiences. We also talk through the pressures that we can put on ourselves, the stigma surrounding food and athletes, and how to properly fuel your body. Nicolette is candid and open throughout the entire episode and doesn’t forget to check out her article titled “Regaining Life” on The Mental Matchup website under Stories!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down with Kimber Hower. Kimber is a lacrosse goalie who grew up in Utah and is currently on the Syracuse Women’s Lacrosse team taking her 5th year. She graduated high school early to play college lacrosse at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill before transferring to Syracuse. In the episode, Kat and Kimber touch on many different aspects of college lacrosse such as the recruiting process, the emotional transition to freshman year, and transferring to a different school. Kimber’s article, “Falling Out of Love to Fall Back In” is featured on The Mental Matchup website and we are so lucky to now have her on the podcast!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, our guest is Nick Dunlop. Nick grew up in Australia and moved to the US in 2020 to attend the University of Washington as a member of the Men’s Rowing team. Nick had the unique experience of moving to the US and starting on a new rowing team during the COVID pandemic. He shares some valuable background on rowing and how he got into the sport in the first place. Nick also shares his thoughts on parental support surrounding mental health and therapy and the importance of opening up to teammates.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Trey Moses. Trey grew up playing basketball, continued his collegiate career at Ball State, and currently plays professionally abroad. Throughout the episode, Trey opens up about how a close friend and teammate’s suicide has impacted his life. In 2020, he was awarded the NCAA Inspiration Award for his dedication to inspiring others to prioritize the conversation surrounding mental health. He also touches on the importance of finding things that spark joy, medication, and his relationship with God. We are so lucky to have Trey on the podcast to share his story and it is clear that he has impacted many others by opening up about his own journey.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Megan Campbell. Megan grew up as a competitive gymnast and earned a full-ride scholarship to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Throughout the episode, we talk about her experience growing up as a gymnast, sustaining an injury in college that ultimately ended her career, and the impact that a coach can have on individuals on their team. Megan also opens up about how the Larry Nassar case shaped her into the aspiring clinical psychologist she is today. She is currently working on getting her PhD and we are so lucky to have her on the podcast!
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat is joined by Wes Woodson. Wes is the founder and chief storyteller of thehidden company, a media company
aimed to empower individuals to love every part of themselves. Wes is also a professional public speaker who has traveled around the world speaking with over 3,000 students, parents and teachers. Through his speaking engagements and storytelling, he helps raise awareness for mental health and help people become their most authentic self. Throughout today’s episode, Wes opens up about his own struggles with anxiety at a young age and how he found himself in an outpatient facility. After listening to his episode, don’t forget to check out his book I Have Anxiety So What?
This week on The Mental Matchup, we are joined by Chelsi Battle. Chelsi is currently interning at Northwestern University as a Pre-Doctoral Psychology intern and attends Auburn University as a doctoral student in their Counseling Psychology program. Beyond being a student, Chelsi is a Graduate Assistant for Student-Athlete Support Services, a program that helps with the development of skills for student-athletes facing academic challenges. Within the episode, she touches on the nonprofit she created called The Playbook Foundation, which is geared towards mentoring and mental health awareness in minorities. Chelsi plans to pursue a career in sport psychology after graduating and we cannot wait to watch her impact countless athletes at the collegiate and professional level. We are so lucky to have Chelsi share her own experiences and research with us!
We are lucky to have Sarah Fischer join us for this week’s episode. Sarah is a professional dancer living and working in New York City. Throughout the episode, we dive into many different topics including an athlete’s relationship with their body, the constant strive for perfection, and the impact that injury has on a career. She also teaches us more about the world of dance and what goes into becoming a professional dancer. The lessons that Sarah talks about in this episode can be applied to any athlete playing any sport, not just dance. She shares her own story and is a great resource for anyone else experiencing a similar journey or mental health obstacle. Thank you for sharing your story with us Sarah!
In this episode, Kat is joined by Reid Meyer. Reid is a former collegiate baseball player and the founder of a program called Athletes to Athletes (A2A). Due to Reid’s own college recruitment process, which he speaks about in the episode, he created A2A to help athletes navigate their own college recruiting process more smoothly. The program focuses on helping athletes make a more holistic decision when it comes to picking a college and also providing athletes with tools and resources for life after school. Throughout the episode, Reid discusses his own baseball experience and the importance of learning how to find the joy in what you do. After you listen to this episode, check out Reid’s story titled “Isn’t It Supposed to Be Fun?” featured on The Mental Matchup website!
In today’s episode, we are lucky to have Hilary Lemonick join The Mental Matchup. Hilary is a former Division I lacrosse player at Cornell University. She talks with Kat about everything from having type 1 diabetes, to disordered eating after a collegiate lacrosse career, to her experience and transition out of sport into the working world. Thank you Hilary for coming on and sharing your story!
In today’s episode, we are lucky to have Sophie Speidel join The Mental Matchup. Sophie is a former Division I lacrosse player at the University of Virginia and also represented Team USA. Sophie is currently the mother of three, a lacrosse coach, and a counselor at St. Anne’s-Belfield School (STAB) in Charlottesville, VA. As a school counselor, she focuses on a specific curriculum called “Life Skills” that aids social and emotional learning for Upper School students. The course is structured around the Youth Mental Health First Aid platform that focuses strongly on mental health and is utilized by students, teachers, coaches, and even parents. Sophie is an insightful and knowledgeable guest when it comes to the importance of mental health awareness and if you’d like to learn more about the program, check out mentalhealthfirstaid.org!
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down and talks with Scott Kelsey. Scott founded Shareapy, an organization thatwhich centers on the concept that human connection is a key component to success and happiness through sharing our life experiences. Throughout the episode, we open up about the importance of helping others live happier and more meaningful lives. Scott talks about his hockey career, shifting his mindset to a growth mindset, and how he works to manage his mental health every day. You don’t want to miss this episode!
If you’d like to learn more, check out @shareapy’s Instagram or head to Shareapy.com
This week, Kat speaks with Kelly Oberle, a leadership development expert who founded Access Human Potential. The organization focuses on working with corporate and athletic organizations to enhance the overall performance of individuals, teams, and coaches. Throughout the episode, Kelly highlights the importance of connectivity, mindfulness, and gratitude to help people achieve their highest potential and how important creating a positive routine can be within one’s day-to-day life. Kelly was a Division I softball player at Northwestern University and also has experience coaching with multiple youth leagues to promote fun and activity in younger children. During the conversation, she shares integral tools and techniques that can help individuals become both mentally and physically healthier. If you’d like to learn more, check out Access Human Potential’s Instagram (@access_human_potential) and Twitter (@ahpnow)!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat connects with Brandon Teixeira. Brandon is the founder and CEO of Mental Health Declassified. Mental Health Declassified is a platform that focuses on creating a safe space for anyone struggling with mental health and highlights the importance of supporting those around you who may be struggling alone. In the episode, Brandon opens up about his experience as a black athlete, how to approach a loved one who is struggling, and the power of your own brain. If you’d like to learn more about Brandon and his incredible work, check out Mental Health Declassified at mentalhealthdeclassified.com!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down with Ben Greiner. Ben is a former collegiate ice hockey player and current founder and CEO of TadHealth. Ben is also the founder of an organization called The TAD Project. Both of these incredible platforms focus on creating a safe community and navigating the often difficult topic of mental health. Throughout the episode, Ben opens up about the culture of the sport of hockey and also the relationship that many males have with mental health. Ben has given valuable resources and tools to so many individuals, friends, and families through these platforms and we’re so grateful to have him on the podcast! If you want to learn more about his organization, check out https://thetadproject.org and follow @thetadproject on Instagram!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat sits down with Shelby Milne. Shelby played lacrosse at Hofstra University, is currently an Assistant Athletic Trainer UPenn, and is getting her Master’s in Mental Health Counseling. Throughout the conversation, Shelby opens up about mental health being on a spectrum, whether or not having a competitive mindset can be healthy or unhealthy, and the importance of finding your identity outside of sport. Shelby also wrote a great article titled “On the Brink of Change” so don’t forget to check that out on The Mental Matchup website!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Angelica Galluzzo. Angelica is the host of the podcast The Revolutionized Mind, which provides space for people to share their mental health stories in order to promote positivity and happiness even in difficult situations. She talks about finding one’s identity outside of sport, the differences in sports culture between the US and Canada, and dealing with 5 major knee surgeries within 5 years.
Angelica stresses the fact that injuries or tough times are only momentary and things will get better. As advertised in her podcast’s bio, “Life is short, why not make every day count?”
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Smita Nalluri. Smita ran track and field at Cornell University, while also handling a move from sunny California to upstate New York and balancing Ivy League academics. She opens up about her experience with depression and how important the power of connectivity can be. As a student-athlete, she dealt with injury and the difficult decisions surrounding switching a major. Smita teaches us the importance of not only listening to your body, but also your mind and highlighting the fact that you are never truly alone in your experiences or mental struggles.
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat speaks with Ida Farinholt. Ida played lacrosse for four years at Cornell before transferring to UNC to complete her graduate studies. Ida opens up about tearing her ACL not once, but twice while in college and how she dealt with the recovery process along with the mental struggles that come with being an impact player to having to sit out for multiple seasons. Ida was also in a unique position as a transfer graduate student at UNC. She discusses having to navigate her role on a new team and also the impact of COVID canceling her last year of eligibility. Ida’s experiences are not unlike many athletes who go through injuries or having to deal with transferring so tune in tomorrow to hear more!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Jess Goergen, a current graduate student at Auburn University in the Counseling Psychology Ph.D. program. She currently holds an M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Auburn University and was a student-athlete on the women’s lacrosse team at Presbyterian College. During the episode we talk about the hormonal and psychological impact of birth control, her gap year and and her career aspirations (*spoiler alert, it may have something to do with Sports Psychology). Tune in tomorrow for another great episode!
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Emily Barnhart, who is a registered dietician working with athletes, and runs her own private practice that is called Injury RD (working from the point of surgery to their return to play) but has also worked with general athletes throughout her career. During the episode, we talk about the impact food can have on your performance as an athlete and human, nutrition and how each person's needs are unique, and how she helps set her player’s bodies up for success in the healing process.
In today’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Ashleigh Shanley, who swam at Duke and is currently working as a Content Associate/Production Assistant for ESPN in Charlotte, NC. Ashleigh received her Masters of Science of Journalism at Boston University in December of 2018 focusing on both sports journalism and broadcasting.
During the episode, we talk about injury and the impact it had on Ashleigh’s mental health, the individual aspect of swimming, going to therapy and her experience with losing a friend who died by suicide.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Lindsey Ronbeck, current Assistant Women’s Lacrosse Coach at the University of Richmond, and one of the most prolific women’s lacrosse players at the University of Florida. During the episode, we talk about the role lacrosse has played in her life, navigating athletics and education through learning disorders, grappling with disordered eating and SO much more.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Connor Coyne (@concoyne). Connor is a former collegiate baseball player, current social marketing associate and TikTok creator. During this episode, we talk about the importance of therapy, the impact of social media, and how one of the greatest powers you can have is being unapologetically yourself.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Charlotte North, a Dallas, Texas native who is one of the top names in women's college lacrosse winning a National Championship at Boston College in 2021, Tewaaraton Award winner, IWLCA Player of the Year and current 5th year senior at BC.
During the episode, we talk about lacrosse in Texas, how her coaches have instilled a love of lacrosse in her, the transition from Texas lacrosse to the ACC, the power of a teammate, and trusting the process.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Renee Norden. Renee has been the Executive Director of the Mental Health Association of Fauquier County since November 2020. The Mental Health Association promotes mental wellness in Fauquier and Rappahannock counties. She facilitates the Mental Health Collaborative and the Mental Health School Coalition, while also serving on the Rappahannock Roundtable. Renee received a degree in Psychology from William and Mary and a Master of Education in Counseling from the University of Virginia.
During Renee’s episode, we talk about how to support not only yourself, but also your friends and strangers and how your network of support can make a significant impact. We also touch on the importance of connectivity between humans and how mental health does not define anyone as a person.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Madeline Barlow. Madeline is a mentor to athletes, a 3x author, and a Reiki II and Human Design practitioner. She is also a former competitive swimmer and has her PhD in Psychology of Human Movement with a specialization in Exercise and Sport psychology. During the episode, we talk about transitioning out of athletics and into the next chapter of life, supporting highly sensitive athletes, and discovering how you can embody your true Self.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, we take some time to reflect on Season 2 of The Mental Matchup. Zoe Scurletis, host of Solace in the City, which is another podcast focused on making people feel less alone, reflects with us on the things she has learned in her own podcasting journey over the past year. We discuss the common threads between our podcasts, the topics that kept popping up, our thoughts on the mental health stigma and how everyone copes differently, some of our favorite episodes and guests, and our intentions for the new year. It is not just a reflection on our podcasts, but also a reflection on how we have changed as individuals over the past year, and how we plan to move forward in podcasting and in life.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Schuyler and Kat talk with Nakeie (Nak) Montgomery, a two sport athlete at Duke University. Nak grew up in Texas with his mom and sister, playing lacrosse and football. He went on to play lacrosse at Duke, and also joined the football team for his final fall season in college. Despite not playing as much as he wanted to his freshman year, and having his first experience with a mental health struggle, Nak went on to have a very successful collegiate career. By his senior year, he had accumulated 100 points, and was named to the All-ACC team, the USILA All-America first team, and the Inside Lacrosse Media All-America first team. He was also selected as Duke’s Male Senior Student-Athlete of the Year for his success on and off the field. During the episode, we talk about the sacrifices his mom and sister made to support his lacrosse career, his coaches and adopted families that made him into the player and person he is today, how attending a majority-black high school impacted his sense of identity, how he experienced the power of vulnerability during his freshman year, and a lot more about his experiences throughout his life and athletic career.
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup features Brian White. Brian currently plays for the Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS. During the episode, we talk about his successful youth, college, and professional career, and the ups and downs he experienced along the way. After growing up in New Jersey (and playing at the same youth club as Schuyler - fun fact), he attended Duke, making 73 appearances and scoring 23 goals. He balanced soccer with being a part of a fraternity, and after graduating, was drafted 16th in the MLS superdraft to the New York Red Bulls. This past season, he was traded to the Vancouver Whitecaps, and despite being thrust into a new environment mid-season, he scored 12 goals in 27 games. During the episode, Kat and Brian talk about the moments of success, but also the harder, uncertain moments of his career, and how he was able to move through them.
In this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Kace Boland, a former DI volleyball athlete and pre-med student at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. For most of her life, Kace has struggled with mental health challenges, and has been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa, PTSD, inattentive type ADHD, and double depression (persistent and major depressive disorder combined). Kace was forced to take an 18-month long medical leave of absence from school and retire from volleyball. During this episode, she reflects on her story of perseverance through hospitalizations, suicidal ideation, disordered eating, identity shifts, and the lessons she learned in the process.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat and Schuyler talk to Noah Rubin about his tennis career and his mental health centric project, Behind the Racquet. After winning multiple international tournaments as early as age 11, Noah put together an incredible youth tennis career leading him to be ranked 6th in the world as a junior. Noah went on to play at Wake Forest for a year, before turning fully professional. We talk about the pressure of competing at a high level from an early age, how he dealt with the extreme highs and lows of his professional career, finding the balance of being comfortable in uncomfortable environments while also avoiding the feeling of being perpetually unsettled, and of course, the power of vulnerability, especially in the context of Behind the Racquet. Behind the Racquet is a project designed to showcase tennis players as humans, and allow them to be open about whatever experiences they have struggled with.
Leeann Passaro is a former student-athlete from Washington & Lee University and the current Chief Operating Officer at The Hidden Opponent. The Hidden Opponent (THO) is a non-profit and advocacy group focused on addressing the stigma of mental health in the athlete community, and providing support to athletes experiencing mental health challenges. Leeann has struggled with anxiety and depression herself, and has translated her experiences into a passion for helping others through THO. In this special episode, we talk to Leeann about THO’s mission, strategies, accomplishments, and future goals. Spoiler, but not spoiler because it is pretty clear: THO and The Mental Matchup might as well be sister organizations, and we have a massive crush on THO and fangirl all the things they do.
For more information on The Hidden Opponent https://thehiddenopponent.com/ and follow them on instagram @thehiddenopponent or twitter @hidden_opponent
Trigger waring: discussion of suicidal ideation
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup features Reagan Rust, the first D1 ice hockey player to come out of Mississippi, and now professional hockey player in Stockholm Sweden. Reagan is the founder of the Female Athlete Society, a free platform that connects female athletes to each other, and to resources, to help them navigate their athletic career, feeling empowered and confident. She is also the host of the Unpaved Path Podcast where Reagan interviews people in the sports world who blazed their own trail, to highlight their successes, failures, and the lessons they learned. In our conversation, we talk about her first experience with depression and suicidal ideation in the ninth grade, and how she has dealt with depression and axiety, on and off, since then. We discuss the stresses of her recruiting process, the advice she gives to other athletes currently in the recruiting process, the sacrifices she made as a youth player, the difficulties she faced during her first two years in college at RIT including her transferring process, and her experience after transferring to BU. We also cover her inspiration behind the Female Athlete Society, how her support system showed up for her during tough times, and the structure of ice hockey leagues–Kat and Schuyler were both pretty clueless, and learned a lot.
Find the Unpaved Path Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4GdXWwRO9nKEY53gpT2HiQ?si=3eadfa6fdcbf4004
Check out the Female Athlete Society:
https://www.femaleathletesociety.co/
And learn more about Reagan:
https://www.reaganrust.com/
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, we talk to Morgan Alexander, who recently graduated from Syracuse University, where she played lacrosse. Morgan is planning to go onto a career in sports journalism, and develop her mental health focused sweatshirt company. Morgan first experienced mental health in the form of anxiety, and immediately it became clear to her that mental health should be treated the same as physical health. However, the stigma surrounding mental health prevented her from sharing her experience until much later. Morgan’s collegiate career was unfortunately filled with numerous knee injuries and surgeries, and she was not able to step on the field and compete until her senior season. Sometimes against the advice of doctors and her parents, Morgan continued to push ahead, work on her rehab, and was able to return to the field for a successful senior year and fifth year. Throughout all the injuries and setbacks, Morgan was able to find meaning in each challenge, and leaned on her religion, journaling, and support system to keep pushing forward. She has been involved with Morgan’s Message from a very early stage, and we are so grateful for her work with Morgan’s Message and in the wider mental health space.
Trigger Warning: discussion of suicide and suicide attempt
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup features Scott Day, a former Division III baseball player at York College of PA, and now Director of Communications/Operations at Sean’s House and SL24: UnLocke the Light Foundation, an organization that provides free mental health resources, education, and assistance. Scott spent the first 15 years of his career working in Communications and PR at four different Division I institutions. In 2014, at the age of 31, he began showing signs of depression. At the age of 32 he had his first near suicide attempt, and struggled for many months following before getting the help he needed. In 2018, he opened up about his struggles, and is now a passionate mental health advocate. Scott is also a husband, father of three, and an amazingly honest and open human being. In this week’s episode, we talk about his personal mental health journey, his advice for people who are in dark mental health spaces, his advice for people with loved ones who are struggling, the power of vulnerability, some of the most powerful moments he has witnessed as the Director of Sean’s House, how he approaches the topic of mental health with his kids, and a lot more.
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup features Brittnay Todd, who is the owner and clinical director of B Balanced Counseling & Wellness. Brittany attended the University of Florida where she achieved her bachelor’s degree in Criminology and Psychology, while competing as a swimmer. Brittany was an Olympic Trial swimmer in 2000 and 2004 and competed in NCAA’s, but dealt with a variety of mental health challenges during her swimming career including eating disorders, depression, and bipolar disorder. When her career ended due to a shoulder injury, she dealt with the difficulties of losing her identity as an athlete. As a former elite athlete, and someone who was involved in sport from a very early age, Brittany continues to be inspired by the connection of the body and mind in her practice as a psychotherapist. In 2017 Brittany graduated from Walden University with master’s level degrees in both Clinical Psychology and Clinical Counseling to establish a private counseling practice. Through Brittany’s own personal experiences in her mental health struggles, as well as her education, she is able to provide incredibly diverse and valuable information during this episode.
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat and Schuyler talk to Cailin Bracken. Cailin (Kay-leen) grew up in New Jersey playing lacrosse and committed to play at Vanderbilt, where she is now a sophomore. Starting in her senior year of high school, Cailin dealt with depression and disordered eating. A week into preseason of her senior lacrosse season, it was cancelled due to COVID-19. Like many other moments later in her life, she took the time to reflect and focus on her mental health. Although she continued to deal with difficult mental health challenges into her freshman year of college, along with a concussion and hard choices surrounding whether or not to continue playing lacrosse, Cailin’s self-awareness, radical gratitude, and amazing support system are some of the things that not only got her through those moments, but became even stronger during them. She is one of the most open and vulnerable guests we have had the pleasure of talking with, which is reflected also in her wellness Instagram account @Kalewithcail, and blog ownyourstory.community where she uses her love for writing to encourage others to share their stories.
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup features Kaleigh (KK) Kurtz, who is one of Schuyler’s teammates on the North Carolina Courage. KK grew up playing soccer in South Carolina, and committed to play collegiately at Richmond University. The stress surrounding her recruiting process led her to finding her first therapist, who also helped her work through abandonment issues rooted in friends moving away from a young age. After her freshman year at Richmond, KK transferred to the University of South Carolina, and dealt with the difficulties of going from a consistent starter, to a player who was coming off the bench. She went on to play professionally in Sweden, and later in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL). During her professional career, she has managed body image issues, separating her self-worth from her athletic performance, and playing behind some of the best players in the world. In this episode, KK shares how she has used therapy to work through her mental challenges, how she has been able to fall back in love with the game of soccer, and a whole lot more about her experiences as a collegiate and professional athlete.
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup is with Joanne P. McCallie, also known as Coach P. Coach P is known for her successful basketball coaching career, which has spanned Auburn, Maine, Michigan State, and Duke University. She is the only coach to have won conference championships in four different conferences. Her overall record is 646-255, she has won gold medals coaching US youth basketball teams, and has been named coach of the year multiple times. Coach P is also an advocate for mental health, as she was diagnosed with manic-depressive disorder (also known as bi-polar disorder) when she was 30. She was not open about her diagnosis until more recently, and has since published a book, Secret Warrior: A Coach and a Fighter, On and Off the Court.
In the episode, we talk about how she dealt with her mental health episodes while coaching, the decisions surrounding when and how to be open about her diagnosis, how she managed her players who struggled with mental health challenges, and how she plans to be a mental health advocate moving forward. Coach P has started a mental health foundation which you can follow at @coachp4life on all social media platforms.
If you want to purchase Coach P’s book, Secret Warrior, you can find it from a variety of distributors, but we recommend our favorite used book platform, Better World Books: https://www.betterworldbooks.com/product/detail/Secret-Warrior--A-Coach-and-Fighter--On-and-Off-the-Court-9781646632909
This week’s episode of The Mental Matchup is a conversation with Hayden Gruber. Hayden grew up in the suburbs of Philadelphia and attended Friends' Central School, where he played soccer and baseball, before moving to Boston to play Division III baseball at Tufts University. Hayden graduated from Tufts in 2018 and now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts where he works as a life sciences and biopharmaceutical consultant. A series of severe injuries in high school took a toll on Hayden's mental health, as he had to relearn to play the sports he loved, and deal with the intense frustration associated with working hard to get healthy, only to get reinjured. Luckily, Hayden had some amazing coaches, friends, and family as a support system. He went on to play collegiate baseball at Tufts, where he dealt with more injuries (breaking his jaw from a wild pitch) and other challenges, but he was able to persevere. Hayden shares the difficult emotions and experiences associated with his injuries, along with the things that enabled him to get through those times, and what he learned in the process.
In this special episode, Kat and Schuyler talk with Amanda McGrew, the founder of the Playoff dating app. Amanda played collegiate and professional basketball herself, and designed Playoff to allow for collegiate and professional athletes to meet and date. Amanda is a gritty entrepreneur and her competitive spirit from her basketball career have clearly carried over into the business world. We cover the inspiration behind the app, the characteristics that make the athlete community unique, the fear associated with taking a leap of faith into something new, but the value of doing so, plus all of the ~super fun~ anxieties and realities of dating.
Thank you @amcgrew21 for joining us – you are a dope role model to other female athletes who want to start their own ventures, and we can all learn from your grittiness, mentality, and hard work. And hey, if you are single, check out @playoffdatingapp
Trigger Warning: discussion of sexual assault and gender-based violence
Molly Little played lacrosse in college at the University of Denver, and she now plays professionally and coaches for the Denver lacrosse program. She grew up in Rhode Island and went to Tabor Academy for high school, a boarding school in Massechusetes, to focus on her athletic career. At Tabor, she entered into her first long-term relationship, which unfortunately turned unhealthy, and she was sexually assaulted by her then-boyfriend. Molly talks about her healing process, flags for unhealthy relationships, the sad frequency of gender-based violence, her involvement with the One Love Foundation, and how her lacrosse career unfolded throughout her assault and mental health struggles.
For more information on the One Love Foundation, which focuses on promoting healthy relationships you can go to: https://www.joinonelove.org/
Jack Beer was a youth stand-out soccer player, who was a high school All-American, competed with youth national teams, and was recruited to play at Georgetown University. In college, he had a successful freshman season, but started to fall out of love with the sport due to mounting anxiety. He decided to take time away from the team for his sophomore season, but returned to the team his Junior year, and went on to be named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player in the Big East tournament and win a National Championship.
In this episode, Jack lays out his experience of anxiety and panic attacks, how he eventually asked for help, and the ways in which his teammates and coaches showed up for him. We talk about athletic identities, the importance of finding balance and joy outside of sport, how coaches can support players struggling with mental health, and how athletes can take time away from their sport and come back stronger.
You can also check out his mental health narrative at The Hidden Opponent: https://thehiddenopponent.com/jack-beer-overcoming-anxiety-depression-on-the-road-to-a-national-championship/
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In Episode 2 of season 2, we talk to Max McGuire. Max is a former D1 goalie who has his own clothing line, What a Wonderful Life, that focuses on creating clothing that helps bring awareness to mental health and a portion of each sale is donated to different mental health charities. We talk about growing up on the west coast and going to school on the east coast, his lacrosse career, injuries and his experience with anxiety and depression. Max is an amazing mental health advocate, both in his immediate community and in the larger public sphere. On the podcast, he talks about his process of opening up to his parents, mental health professionals, his friends and teammates, and then sharing his story on social media. He also shares how his creative and business endeavors have helped him cope with his mental health.
Daniela (Dani) Schneider, Duke Class of 2021, currently works in marketing for the Washington Wizards, and was a co-founder of UNCUT Duke. UNCUT is a student-led athlete-driven storytelling platform focused on sharing athletes’ personal and unique narratives. Dani was inspired to found UNCUT largely from her time as a tennis player in high school, and seeing the impact sports could have on mental health. She wanted to give college athletes a safe place where they could tell their stories. Dani personally struggled with mental health issues while a co-founder at UNCUT and found inspiration and strength through the athletes that shared their stories. In this episode, we talk more about the goals and expectations she had for UNCUT, how seeing athletes as more than their stat sheet is changing in media and sports, some of her favorite UNCUT pieces (linked below), and how the perception of mental health in sports is changing thanks to icons like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles.
For more information on UNCUT you can go to uncutduke.com or contact their team directly - https://www.uncutduke.com/about-us
The UNCUT stories references in the podcast:
Nakeie Montgomery: https://www.uncutduke.com/uncut-athletes/Nakeie-Montgomery
Sheridan Wilbur: https://www.uncutduke.com/post/dear-duke-no-rest-no-renewal
Mike Buckmire: https://www.uncutduke.com/post/dear-cameron-crazies-how-covid-changed-the-course-of-my-senior-year
Schuyler DeBree: https://www.uncutduke.com/post/dear-duke-a-darker-duke-chapter
Kat/Panel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQ6xrYP-cik
Anna Callahan: https://www.uncutduke.com/uncut-athletes/Anna-Callahan
And a link to Dani’s favorite book, “Am I There Yet? By Mari Andrew:
https://bymariandrew.com/books
Madeline (Maddy) Price, a Bay Area, CA native, was born to two Canadian parents which allowed her to compete for the Canadian Team in Track and Field. Maddy is a 400m sprinter and 4x400 relay specialist who graduated from Duke University in 2018 and completed a Masters of Management Studies in 2019 while supporting the track and field team through volunteer coaching up until June 2021.
Maddy just barely missed the 2016 Canadian Olympic Team, the last race her dad ever saw, but then set her sights on Tokyo. Her road to Tokyo was filled with uncertainty, as she dealt with the passing of her dad from cancer, coming back from foot surgery a year before the Games, and navigating the global pandemic. Despite the odds, she made the Canadian 4x400 Olympic team and went on to run her fastest time ever in the finals with their team placing 4th. Far more important than the accomplishment of becoming an Olympian, is how she approached the process. With her family, and especially her dad, as inspiration, Maddy has always prioritized her relationships, staying present, and giving her best to everything she does. Maddy is an advocate and a mentor for the next generation of young female athletes through Voice In Sport, an advocacy platform providing resources and mentorship for girls in sport and through her work in 2020 with CAN Fund #150Women, a non-profit dedicated to helping Canadian female athletes be the best in the world.
In this episode with Maddy, we talk about her running career from childhood, to Duke, to a professional and now as an Olympian. We cover her emotional responses to the many steps in that process, and the mental habits that have allowed her to be successful. She is a ray of sunshine, and has so many nuggets about how to mentally approach sport and life.
You can follow Maddy at maddypriceless on Instagram and TikTok, and check out the video of Maddy’s journey to Tokyo here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3xtzpqhdpg
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Dana Boyle, current analyst for ESPN and the ACC Network and former women’s lacrosse player at UVA.
Dana and Kat talk about therapy, playing collegiate lacrosse, life after college, broadcasting and life’s curveballs. From her involvement with One Love to her love for Charlottesville and UVA - they cover a lot.
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Kat talks with Anna Callahan, Morgan’s Message Ambassador and student-athlete at Duke University.
Anna is a passionate mental health advocate and ally for all. She talks about starting the Morgan’s Message chapter at Duke, life as a collegiate athlete, growing up, how her environment fostered positive growth and so much more.
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Schuyler talks with Kayla Christian who is a Mindset & Wellness Coach. Kayla played soccer at Coastal Carolina, started an instagram page @havinghealthyhabits in her last semester of college, and has grown her expertise in holistic health into her own coaching business. In this episode we cover a lot of helpful tips for improving mental wellbeing. Some of the highlights: how to ask for help and support, tapping into our intuition and finding what will nourish us, unlearning messages and habits that no longer serve us, the power of eliminating ‘should’ from our vocabulary, what a healthy relationship to food and working out can look like, and so much more.
You can follow Kayla on instagram @kaylalalalalalala (that’s Kayla with 6 extra la-s) and her Mindset & Wellness page @havinghealthyhabits. Having Healthy Habits also has a website you can find at https://www.havinghealthyhabits.com/
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of The Mental Matchup, Schuyler talks with our podcast editor, Annie Krabbenschmidt. Annie played just about every sport growing up, and then focused on tennis and soccer in high school. She went to Duke as an undergraduate and was a part of the club soccer team, but she struggled as her identity as an athlete shifted. Annie came back to Duke for graduate school, which is when she met Schuyler, as a TA for a public policy class. Annie is now living in LA as an artist, writing a book, teaching, hosting her own podcast ‘Love is a Softball Field,’ editing The Mental Matchup, and generally trying to make a positive impact on society through communication, art, and community building. During the episode, Annie and Schuyler discuss the heaviness of depression, how injuries impact your sense of self and your gratitude, the importance of finding an external environment that can help you thrive, the athlete identity, the intersection of queerness and mental health, Annie’s work at The Trevor Project, the spectrum of suicidality, and a lot more. Annie has also listened to more Mental Matchup episodes than anyone else during her editing process, and she has a lot of thoughts built up from those episodes, along with a lot of gratitude for our other guests.
You can follow Annie on instagram @krabbypatty415 and check out her work on her website at https://www.annsplain.com/
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
This week's episode dives into Morgan's Message. A non-profit founded in 2020 that is striving to eliminate the stigma surrounding mental health within the student-athlete community and equalize the treatment of physical and mental health in athletics. MM aims to expand the dialogue on mental health by normalizing conversations, empowering those who suffer in silence, and supporting those who feel alone.
Our co-host Schuyler interviews the Messengers to discuss how the idea to create a safe space for athletes to share their stories helped build to where the non-profit stands today, and everything in-between.
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup. To learn more about Morgan’s Message follow on Instagram @morgansmessage or visit MorgansMessage.org.
If you or someone you know needs help you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, Kat chats with Mary Griffin - Virginia Tech Women’s Lacrosse Defender, Morgan’s Message Ambassador and host of Not a 10 Podcast.
Mary and Kat talk about playing at a Virginia Tech, kicking cancer’s ass, and little things she does to help keep herself grounded and focused. Mary’s podcast, Not a Ten, is a podcast focused on highlighting stories of humans, hardships and why we shouldn’t strive for the “perfect” life.
To get in touch with Mary you can find her @margriff10 on Instgram. To learn more about Not a 10 go to @Nota10_podcast on Instagram or listen on Spotify.
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
n this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, Kat chats with Lizzie Colson - Maryland Women’s Lacrosse Defender, IWCLA Defender of the Year, Tewaaraton Finalist, 2x National Champion, Morgan’s Message Ambassador and host of The LineUp Podcast.
Lizzie and Kat talk about playing at a dynasty like Maryland, overcoming injury, and how to support teammates or players who may be injured. Lizzie’s podcast, The LineUp, focuses on being humans before athletes. In each episode, she talks with other athletes sharing tips, tricks, and stories that help make both your game and overall wellness to the next level.
To get in touch with Lizzie you can find her @lizzie_colson. To learn more about The LineUp Podcast go to @ thelineup_podcast.
You can read more about our podcast and contact us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In our latest episode of The Mental Matchup, Schuyler talks with Camille Esnault (former D1 fencer) about her the intersection of mental health and being a first-generation American, her experience with depression and anxiety as well as her struggle with the idea that her own mental health struggles were not valid enough to warrant medical attention.
You can read more about the podcast at www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup. Want to share your story? Reach out to us at thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, Kat chats with Zoe Scurletis of Solace and the City™, for most of her adult life, Zoe battled anxiety and depression, and in 2017 she lost a close friend to suicide. She longed to do something to bring awareness to the mental health community, so in October of 2019 she launched Solace and the City. Through authentic conversations about sensitive subjects, she works to open up the conversation around emotional wellness. Her goal of the podcast is to reduce the stigma surrounding depression, anxiety, loneliness, and suicide by sharing these powerful stories. She finds solace in doing just this.
To get in touch with Zoe you can find her @zoescurletis. To learn more about Solace and the City you can visit their website, www.solaceandthecity.com, or find them on Instagram @solaceandthecity.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at: 800-273-TALK(8255).
In this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, Kat chats with Emily Perrin (former D1 soccer player, former D1 coach and CEO/Founder of Perrin Wellness and Performance) as well as, Jules Heningburg, (former D1 Lacrosse and current PLL player, founder of Juke Lab, Mission Primed, and the Black Lacrosse Alliance). The three discuss mindfulness and tools athletes can implement into their everyday routines while debunking some common misconceptions about these calming practices .
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
⚠️ Content warning: This week's episode contains references to anxiety, depression, and suicidal thinking.
On this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, guest host Dona Rodgers talks with Elaine Anton about her experience as a parent with her son’s mental health journey. They dive into the emotions that surround having a child who is suffering. With keeping the mission of Morgan’s Message in focus, they hope that other parents navigating this impossibly difficult path will listen and know both them, and their child, are not alone.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
⚠️ Content warning: This week's episode contains references to anxiety, depression, suicidal thinking, and attempted suicide.
On this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, we chat with former D1 lacrosse player Lauren Hickman. Lauren opens up about her experience with depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation and explains the impact mental illness has had on her relationships, her athletic performance and her identity as a student-athlete. Diagnosed with chronic major depression, she also discusses her daily battle with negative thoughts and how she trains her brain to fight against cognitive distortions and focus instead on finding joy in every moment. Lauren hopes to use her story as a way to encourage student-athletes to initiate conversations about mental health, embrace being vulnerable and to feel comfortable enough to ask for help.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
The Mental Matchup, Episode 9: Lauren Hickman (Part 1).
⚠️ Trigger warning: Sensitive topics are discussed in this episode.
On this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, we chat with former D1 lacrosse player Lauren Hickman. Lauren opens up about her experience with depression, anxiety, self-harm and suicidal ideation and explains the impact mental illness has had on her relationships, her athletic performance and her identity as a student-athlete. Diagnosed with chronic major depression, she also discusses her daily battle with negative thoughts and how she trains her brain to fight against cognitive distortions and focus instead on finding joy in every moment. Lauren hopes to use her story as a way to encourage student-athletes to initiate conversations about mental health, embrace being vulnerable and to feel comfortable enough to ask for help.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
The Mental Matchup, Episode 8: Mike Olim.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Sensitive topics are discussed in this episode.
On this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, our co-host Schuyler interviews Mike Olim. Mike is the founder and Director of Operations at Advanced Physical & Technical Training, or AP2T. Mike has worked with athletes of all ages and levels, and is known for being able to get athletes to peak fitness while keeping them healthy. Mike has dealt with some mental health challenges himself, which has opened up his understanding of the mental health of his athletes.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
The Mental Matchup, Episode 7: Natalie Marsh.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Sensitive topics are discussed in this episode. This episode contains references to disordered eating and anxiety.
On this week’s episode of the Mental Matchup, our co-host Schuyler interviews collegiate runner Natalie Marsh. In addition to talking about Natalie’s career as a runner, she shares invaluable insights into her journey identifying anxiety and disordered eating. Natalie also shares her learned wisdom about bodily health as it responds to restricted eating.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel: 800-273-TALK(8255).
The Mental Matchup, Episode 6: Morgan Gott.
⚠️ Trigger warning: Sensitive topics are discussed in this episode.
In our latest episode, now available on Spotify + Apple Podcasts, Kat and Schuyler interview Morgan Gott. They discuss depression, sexuality and Morgan’s personal experience in navigating her personal journey surrounding mental health. Morgan’s passion for destigmatizing mental health is beyond words and her vulnerability and courage in sharing her story is inspiration.
You can read more about our podcast at http://www.thementalmatchup.com or on Instagram @thementalmatchup.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at tel:800-273-TALK(8255)
On today’s episode we talk with Gabbi Morris about anxiety and her personal experience with anxiety while in college. Gabbi is incredibly passionate about de-stigmatizing conversations surrounding mental health. The episode touches on lesser known aspects of anxiety and how to support someone who is experiencing anxiety.
In today’s episode, we talk with Imani Dorsey about her experience playing soccer at Duke and professionally with SkyBlue in the NWSL. We talk about the pressures of internal and external expectations, the grief associated with moving on from an important chapter of life, the things we get out of the sport, and so much more. We also talk about her involvement with the Black Women’s Player Collective in the NWSL and Athlete Ally in advocating for trans athlete rights.
We talk with Lynee about her experience with anxiety in high school, being a top-rated basketball recruit at Duke, both playing while at Duke and multiple injuries she faced, and her journey since. We discuss her depression and anxiety, her mental health journey, and where she is now. Self-harm is discussed in this episode.
Today's episode takes a deep dive in Schuyler's experience as a soccer player at Duke, then as a professional player at AC Sparta and the Reign FC. It is about the depression, anxiety, OCD, and suicidal ideation which ended her soccer career. But, it is also about her amazing support system, and how she is the happiest she has ever been on the other side of her mental health crisis.
On today’s episode Schuyler talks with fellow co-host Kat Zempolich. Kat is a co-host of the Mental Matchup Podcast, co-founder of Morgan’s Message, former D1 student-athlete and mental health advocate. On today’s episode we discuss depression, suicidal thoughts, disordered eating, insecurities and how it can seem like someone has it all together from the outside but there’s really a different narrative on the inside.
You can read more on Morgan’s Message at http://www.morgansmessage.org or on Instagram @MorgansMessage.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK(8255).
Morgan Rodgers was a former Duke Lacrosse student-athlete. Morgan was a successful student in the classroom, she had a witty and creative sense of humor, an unmatched artistic talent and carried a fierce loyalty to friends, family and animals. From the outside it looked like she had it all.
In this 2-part episode, Dona And Kurt Rodgers tell Morgan’s story from their point of view. What they knew, what they didn’t know and what they have learned since losing Morgan to suicide in July 2019.
Morgan’s episode is split into two parts.
Part 1 centers around Morgan’s high school lacrosse success and her college recruiting process. Ultimately choosing Duke, she left Virginia to go to school in North Carolina. She enjoyed her classes, was the life of the party and was hell-bent on earning a starting position on the midfield line. Everything was aligning as planned until 10 days before the first game of her sophomore season she was sidelined with a devastating season-ending injury. After a year of rehab, still not cleared to play and with summer rapidly approaching, Morgan took a medical leave of absence to finish healing her body, coaching and spending time with her family. During this time, Kurt and Dona did not know what was going on with her emotionally. Morgan started isolating herself and was sharing less and less with her parents. Their relationship started to quiet. After taking a break from all the stress of the previous year, she seemed healthy, happy and ready to go back to Duke in the Fall of 2018 to get back on the path of which she had always dreamed.
Part 2 centers around Morgan’s return to campus in the Fall of 2018. She was medically cleared for play, more determined than ever and excited about the opportunity to work towards earning her spot on the field. This time the opponent she faced wasn’t physical – it was emotional and mental. Everything changed for her during this time. Dona and Kurt lead us through her last few months and explain the what, how and why Morgan’s Message was born.
You can read more on Morgan’s Message at www.morgansmessage.org or on Instagram @MorgansMessage.
Trigger Warning: Suicide is discussed in this episode.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK(8255)
Morgan Rodgers was a former Duke Lacrosse student-athlete. Morgan was a successful student in the classroom, she had a witty and creative sense of humor, an unmatched artistic talent and carried a fierce loyalty to friends, family and animals. From the outside it looked like she had it all.
In this 2-part episode, Dona And Kurt Rodgers tell Morgan’s story from their point of view. What they knew, what they didn’t know and what they have learned since losing Morgan to suicide in July 2019.
Morgan’s episode is split into two parts.
Part 1 centers around Morgan’s high school lacrosse success and her college recruiting process. Ultimately choosing Duke, she left Virginia to go to school in North Carolina. She enjoyed her classes, was the life of the party and was hell-bent on earning a starting position on the midfield line. Everything was aligning as planned until 10 days before the first game of her sophomore season she was sidelined with a devastating season-ending injury. After a year of rehab, still not cleared to play and with summer rapidly approaching, Morgan took a medical leave of absence to finish healing her body, coaching and spending time with her family. During this time, Kurt and Dona did not know what was going on with her emotionally. Morgan started isolating herself and was sharing less and less with her parents. Their relationship started to quiet. After taking a break from all the stress of the previous year, she seemed healthy, happy and ready to go back to Duke in the Fall of 2018 to get back on the path of which she had always dreamed.
Part 2 centers around Morgan’s return to campus in the Fall of 2018. She was medically cleared for play, more determined than ever and excited about the opportunity to work towards earning her spot on the field. This time the opponent she faced wasn’t physical – it was emotional and mental. Everything changed for her during this time. Dona and Kurt lead us through her last few months and explain the what, how and why Morgan’s Message was born.
You can read more on Morgan’s Message at www.morgansmessage.org or on Instagram @MorgansMessage.
Trigger Warning: Suicide is discussed in this episode.
If you or someone you know needs help, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-TALK(8255)
The Mental Matchup podcast is focused on creating dialogue about athlete mental health. This episode gives you a teaser of what to expect on this season of The Mental Matchup. Nothing is off limits. Throughout the season we touch on negative self talk, mindfulness, depression, anxiety, disordered eating, and much more — in short, all the things athletes face but don't openly discuss. The only way to destigmatize an issue is through shining a light on it.
Warning: some episodes discuss topics such as depression, self-harm and suicide. We will do our best to write in the show notes when potentially triggering topics are mentioned.