How do we get sport to take mental health seriously?

Please remember that no episode of the MyoMinds podcast can be used as a replacement for medical advice and/or care.

Disclaimer - in this episode I talk a bit about my experiences with poor mental health, these anecdotes may be distressing for some people.

I have a new microphone on the way, I am very sorry for the monstrosity that is my audio quality in this episode.

In this episode of the MyoMinds Podcast, I speak to Mark McGuigan, an occupational therapist by trade and the founder of Willow Grove Consultants. Through Willow Grove Consultants, Mark works with athletes and sports clubs to improve mental health in sport.

Every time I speak with Mark we always end up talking for a long time and often go off on many tangents, and this conversation was no different. Here are some of the things we touched on:

• What is an occupational therapist and how can they help with mental health?
• The importance of doing what is meaningful
• The wonders of failure.
• Why Mark started Willow Grove Consultants
• The barriers in place that are slowing the adoption of mental health care in sport
• How sport can begin to improve it's environment to support athletes
• Why we think women's sport is more open to the inclusion of mental health care
• And much more!

Devils Advocate: Don’t you think prioritising mental health in sport will result in less effort from athletes (missing training/not competing, like Simone Biles) and therefore worse athletes?

To find Mark and his work through Willow Grove Consultants follow them on:

Their website: https://www.willowgrove.consulting/

Instagram: @wgcmentalhealth

Twitter: @WGCMentalHealth