Self-care is an important concept at any point in time and it requires behavioral effort to be implemented. As we discuss student-athletes who are nearing end of their intercollegiate career, self-care becomes even more important.
Research indicates that NCAA student-athletes who are graduating are not adequately prepared for end-of-athletic-career transition and tend to experience variety of challenges including mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation; identity changes; lack of retirement planning and preparedness; need for psychosocial support, etc. (Park et al., 2013; Knights et al., 2016; Miller & Buttell, 2018). Adequately addressing end-of-career-transition is beyond the scope of this blog, however I wanted to present a questionnaire student-athletes may use to help them asses how they implement and practice self-care as they are preparing for transition out of their respective sports.
The questionnaire is not a solution to the transitioning process, it is simply a tool one can use to assess how they feel and what they are doing to help themselves throughout the transition process. Consider the questionnaire a guide to self-reflection and a tool that provides suggestions and guidance on how one could start taking better care of themselves. Furthermore, it may be helpful for folks to process the questionnaire and their responses with a coach, mentor, or a therapist to ensure one does not get stuck in a negative or critical self cycle of guilt.
Again, the questionnaire is not a solution, it is simply a guide to help one discover what they are already doing well, what they could improve, and what they could potentially consider implementing.
If you or someone you care for is having a difficult time or is experiencing mental health challenges, here is a list of mental health resources and websites where one can seek mental health support.
Suicide Prevention and Crisis Resources
988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline https://988lifeline.org/
Suicide Prevention https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/topics/suicide-prevention
Mental Health Support for Athletes – where to find a therapist?
Dr. Arna Erega, LPC https://www.drerega.com/
USOPC Mental Health Registry https://www.teamusa.org/mentalhealthregistry
Counseling for Athletes https://counselingforathletes.com/
Therapy for Black Girls https://therapyforblackgirls.com/
Therapy for Black Men https://therapyforblackmen.org/
Psychology Today https://www.psychologytoday.com/us
Althea Therapy https://www.altheatherapy.com/
Other Sources of Information and Support
Association for Applied Sport Psychology https://appliedsportpsych.org/blog/
APA Division 47, Society for Sport, Exercise and Performance Psychology https://www.apadivisions.org/division-47
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