What Sports Are Doing to Our Kids’ Identity (And How to Fix It)

Let us know what you think about this episode and share it with a friend!We talk with sports counselor Brooke Ewert about what athlete mental health really looks like behind the highlights and why support often starts with identity, grief, and better conversations at home. We share practical tools for anxiety, injury, perfectionism, and retirement transitions that apply to elite athletes and to the rest of us too. • the difference between performance-focused sports psychology and sports counseling centered on mental health • how athletes and teammates help break stigma and normalize therapy • asking “Who are you away from your sport?” to build identity beyond athletics • using CBT to challenge negative self-talk and reduce black-and-white thinking • why injury can trigger anxiety and depression and how support changes recovery • integrating faith as a source of strength and stability during transition points • making room to grieve failures before rushing to lessons and silver linings • goal setting with micro-goals and visible reminders to prevent skipping joy • setting parent boundaries around postgame feedback and car-ride conflict • what parent motivations can be under the surface and how that impacts kids • how quitting or getting cut can shake identity and community, especially in college For more information or to contact Brooke about counseling,  reach out to Rocky Mountain Sports Counseling Center in Englewood, Colorado https://rockymountainsportscounselingcenter.com/ Subscribe to the Pivotal People newsletter for new episodes, giveaways and more: https://stephanienelson.com/newsletter/ Learn more at StephanieNelson.comFollow us on Instagram  @stephanie_nelson_cmFollow us on Facebook at CouponMomOrder Stephanie's book Imagine More: Do What You Love, Discover Your Potential