Strong Minds, Strong Bodies: Ilona Maher & Naya Tapper on Mental Health, Pressure, and Power in Women’s Rugby

In this deeply personal and empowering episode of Unfiltered Power, USA Rugby stars Ilona Maher and Naya Tapper open up about the realities behind the strength. From the outside, they’re fierce athletes and viral personalities—but behind the scenes, both women face the invisible battles of mental health, self-doubt, and emotional resilience in elite sport. Together, they break down how social media, expectations, and the constant push to perform can take a toll on the mind—and how they’ve learned to protect their mental space, support teammates, and redefine what real strength means. This is an honest, raw, and hopeful look at mental wellness in professional sports, especially for women navigating fame, identity, and authenticity in the digital age. Whether you’re an athlete, fan, or simply someone trying to stay strong in a demanding world, this episode offers inspiration, vulnerability, and truth straight from two of America’s most powerful women in rugby.🎧 Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and all major platforms.SEO Tags & Keywords:Ilona Maher, Naya Tapper, USA Rugby, women’s rugby, mental health in sports, athlete mental health, female athletes, mental wellness, sports psychology, resilience, body image, self-care, women in sport, rugby sevens, mindfulness, athlete interviews, mental health podcast, Unfiltered Power podcast, women empowerment, vulnerability in sports, emotional resilience, social media and mental health, pressure in athleticsHosts: Naya Tapper & Leo's DenFor more information, links and resources plus conversations from the world of women’s sport including articles, blogs, videos and podcasts visit wispsports.com. WiSP Sports is the World’s First and Only Podcast Network for Women’s Sport with more than 60 hosts, 1500+ episodes across 50 shows and over 7 million downloads. We are ranked in the top 2% more of than 2.69 million podcasts worldwide. WiSP Sports is on all major podcast players. Follow WiSP Sports on social media @WiSPsports. Contact us at [email protected].