Athletic Mental Fitness vs. Sports Psychology

Whether you’re at the peak of your athletic performance, working to build strength during the off season, or healing from an injury, are you taking the time to assess and address your mental health needs?

 Are you practicing self-compassion when you make a mistake or have an off day in your training or competition? Do you have the coping skills that you need to balance the stress of being an athlete in addition to being a student?  

Are you giving your mental health needs the same level of attention as your physical needs?  We know you’re thinking about your body and physical fitness but are you considering your mental fitness?

Being a competitive athlete is a unique talent that also comes with challenges which can have a significant impact an athlete’s mental health.

The athletic world can be highly competitive and full of pressure. In a recent study, the NCAA found that 30% and 50% of student-athletes reported anxiety or depression. The need for qualified mental health clinicians who understand these pressures cannot be understated.

Endūre seeks to help athletes improve their mental health first, seeing it as a priority. Ultimately promoting the overall health of the athlete which will increase their confidence in competition.

Our approach is different from traditional sport’s psychology.

Traditionally, sports psychology focuses on athletic performance -- specifically, how a player’s mindset can affect how successfully they play the sport. Sports psychologists also teach athletes to use psychological principles to enhance their playing skills and conflicts during a game or on the field.

Clinicians with Endūre believe in addressing mental health first, looking at the root cause of symptoms. Often, performance-driven therapy can ignore many of the warning signs to more significant health problems. An athlete who is experiencing depression isn’t going to be able to tap into the motivation that is needed to train and compete at a high level.  That same athlete also has a higher probability of struggling with sleep, nutrition, and learning among other things.  Unfortunately, we also know that this same athlete is at a higher risk for suicide.

Taking the emphasis off of the results-driven methodology and prioritizing the athlete’s overall mental health and well-being allows them to tackle their mental health concerns first, rather than focusing solely on performance. We believe this leads to long-term healing and fulfillment, helping young adults target the root issues causing their struggles thus allowing them to put their most healthy foot forward on the field, court, track, pool, on the water, in the ring or on the course. ​

Athletic Mental Fitness 

While playing a sport can be a positive outlet for an athlete, it does not create immunity from mental health challenges.  Athletes so often are able to muscle through physical pain and challenges but unfortunately that approach isn’t effective related to mental health.

In addition to performance related stressors, athletes can also face challenges related to the recruitment process from high school to college, injury related anxiety which includes prevention, healing, and return to play, and social media influences and pressures.

Handling this stress and knowing how to communicate your needs during this time properly is crucial to preserving your mental health. While this is sometimes easier said than done, seeking therapy is a great solution to help build the skills you need as a person and an athlete. 

The clinicians with Endūre, Sarah and Shannon, both identify as athletes themselves and have personal and professional experience in many of these areas.  Endūre is available to provide training for individuals or teams around how to proactively increase your mental fitness.  We are also ready to step in as needed for any athlete who is struggling with their mental fitness to help them stabilize, make a plan, and get back on track.  We have experience working with both coaches and parents who seek to learn how they can provide and encourage better mental health habits for their athlete(s).   

We believe that putting the athlete first, before the sport, is essential for overall wellness and ultimately sets the athlete up to do their very best in training, competition, and life.