The Mental Side of Injury Recovery Every Athlete Needs to Hear (ep 140)

In this episode of the Pain Free Athlete Podcast, Dana Jones sits down with Lauren Turner, LCSW, licensed clinical social worker, mental performance coach, former collegiate athlete, and founder of The Turner Practice. Lauren shares powerful insight into the mental and emotional side of injury recovery, chronic pain, athlete identity, and the importance of listening to your body before pain gets worse.They discuss how athletes often stay in pain long before they admit it, why recovery is rarely linear, and how the injury process can affect confidence, identity, and mental health. Lauren also breaks down the stages of recovery in a way athletes and parents can understand, while offering practical strategies to support young athletes, high performers, and anyone navigating pain, setbacks, or burnout.This conversation is especially valuable for athletes, parents, coaches, and anyone who wants to better understand the connection between the body, mind, and long-term performance.Lauren's BioLauren Turner is a licensed clinical social worker, mental performance coach, and former collegiate athlete. She founded The Turner Practice in 2019 with a commitment to expanding access to culturally responsive mental health and performance care.Her work integrates therapy, mindfulness, and performance coaching, supporting athletes and high performers in building focus, resilience, and confidence both on and off the field. Lauren leads with a trauma-informed and body-based approach, creating spaces where individuals can strengthen mental skills while deepening overall well-being.She is licensed in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Wisconsin and serves as a clinical supervisor, mentoring emerging practitioners. Lauren is also a published author, speaker, and co-host of the Hey Boo Podcast, exploring mindfulness, performance, and the lived experiences of athletes and high performers.Lauren’s Links:https://www.theturnerpractice.com/https://www.instagram.com/theturnerpractice/http://www.linkedin.com/in/laurenturnerlcswhttps://www.tiktok.com/@theturnerpracticeDana’s Links:⁠⁠https://www.painfreeathletepodcast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠10 Day Journaling Journey⁠⁠Podcast Disclaimer:The Pain-Free Podcast is presented solely for general information, education, and entertainment purposes. Any information presented in this podcast is not intended as a substitute for the advice of a physician, psychotherapist, or other qualified professional diagnosis. The use of information on this podcast or materials linked from this podcast or website is at the user’s own risk. As always, users should not disregard or delay obtaining medical advice for any medical or mental health condition that they may have and should seek the assistance of their healthcare professionals for any such conditions.