THE MENTAL HEALTH MINDSET

WHAT IS THE MENTAL HEALTH MINDSET?

In sports, many of us know how to have a physical health mindset: we wear protective equipment, monitor for injuries, prioritize nutrition, and get adequate rest. A Mental Health Mindset applies that same diligence to the internal world of the athlete.

It is a habitual attitude that helps us think about and respond to the psychological aspects of competition. By adopting a Mental Health Mindset we take action across three levels:

Prevent: Engaging in practices that promote health and build resilience (Prevention).
Proactive: Addressing mental hurdles as they arise (Early Intervention).
Provide: Connecting athletes to specialists when needed (Referral).

It may sound simple, but many sports organizations, coaches, and players lack a basic framework for participating in these levels of action on a consistent basis.

Thankfully, sports environments are great places to learn about and practice a mental health mindset. By doing so, we get to experience the significant positive impacts it makes on how we play, coach, parent, or spectate.

Step 1: The S.E.T. Approach (Prevention)

Prevention starts by creating an environment where athletes can thrive and are less likely to develop mental health issues that need further intervention.

Regardless of age or skill level, people perform better when their basic mental needs are met on a consistent basis. You can use the S.E.T. acronym to remind yourself what those needs are AND to evaluate the state of your current team culture:

S – Safe: Athletes need safety to learn effectively. Is the environment psychologically and physically safe?

E – Encouraged: Encouragement facilitates healthy growth. Do athletes feel encouraged to take appropriate risks in order to grow?

T – Trusted: Trust is forged in effective communication and behavioral consistency. Are athletes/coaches experiencing mutual faith in each other's efforts and intentions?

By using the S.E.T. Approach, we learn to value athletes as a people first and players second, offering them safety, encouragement, and forging trust. This approach hinges on an understanding that taking care of peoples basic psychological needs unlocks their ability to perform and grow. This is especially important for youth athletes who are learning to navigate relationships and stressful situations inside and outside of sport.

STEP TWO: BE PROACTIVE, KNOW THE "PILLARS"

While the SET Approach builds a foundation for mental health support, it will not address ALL mental health needs that arise. As any coach, player , or fan knows, there are common mental "issues" that show up in sports that signal the need for additional attention and, possibly, intervention.

Rather than waiting for these "issues" to turn into an individual or team crisis, start by looking for friction points in any of these three "Pillars of Mental Health;" psychological health, social health, and emotional health .

If we are able to identify and address the "issue" head-on by teaching a skill, we can often leverage the "issue" to strengthen individual or team culture before performance suffers. And the good news is you don't need to be a counselor or mental health professional to do this! You just have to learn and teach a few basic skills (we outline these skills in subsequent articles).

The only thing coaches and athletes need is an ability to see the issue, name the issue, and provide a social-emotional skill that addresses the issue. Showing athletes how to manage their issues is a huge part of building confidence, establishing safety, and fostering interpersonal skills that are necessary for a successful life beyond sports. Get to know the "Pillars."

STEP THREE: KNOW WHEN TO PROVIDE A REFERRAL

Think of mental health as a team sport. While coaches aren't expected to be therapists, you are vital "first responders." When an athlete is in distress that can't be addressed by The Mental Health Mindset steps 1 & 2, your role is to assess the risk and bridge the gap to the next level support. To do this, it helps look at what other sports organizations do in these situations...

Does your organization have a Mental Health Emergency Action Plan (EAP)?

Clear protocols and procedures remove the guesswork during high-pressure situations that involve mental health. A well-defined EAP guides coaches through both non-urgent and emergency situations to determine when a specialist referral is necessary. For expert guidance, refer to these established frameworks as you craft one for yourself or your organization:

Navigating a hard situation or referral can feel daunting, but you are a critical link in an athlete’s support system. Sports culture often prizes "toughness," which can make it difficult for athletes to ask for help (or difficult for coaches to ask if an athlete is okay!). But, adopting a Mental Health Mindset means looking past those barriers to ensure no athlete has to choose between their sport and their well-being.

Mental health should not be the price we pay to participate in sports. It should be what we gain...

WHAT IS THE MENTAL HEALTH MINDSET?

Step 1: The S.E.T. Approach (Prevention)

STEP TWO: BE PROACTIVE, KNOW THE "PILLARS"

STEP THREE: KNOW WHEN TO PROVIDE A REFERRAL

REVIEW: THE Mental health mindset & Three Levels of ACTION

NEXT STEPS

Mental health should not be the price we pay to participate in sports. It should be what we gain...

WHAT IS THE MENTAL HEALTH MINDSET?

Step 1: The S.E.T. Approach (Prevention)

STEP TWO: BE PROACTIVE, KNOW THE "PILLARS"

STEP THREE: KNOW WHEN TO PROVIDE A REFERRAL

REVIEW: THE Mental health mindset & Three Levels of ACTION

NEXT STEPS

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