Therapy for Athletes in Honolulu, HI
You’re an athlete because you have a competitive drive and love feeling a sense of accomplishment. You enjoy your sport, but competing day in and day out can be both physically and mentally exhausting. You practice for multiple hours per week all while juggling other life responsibilities. Some days you feel like you don’t have it in you to keep going and you find it difficult to catch your breath.
Sports are demanding and can require a lot from you.
As an athlete, you have high expectations for yourself and you also have high expectations from your coaches, teammates, fans, trainers, family, or friends. The high demands and expectations leave you feeling anxious and overwhelmed. On top of all of this, you may even find yourself doubting your skills or questioning if you’re “good enough.”
You’re not alone in how you feel. As former athletes, our therapists in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC know what it’s like to be in your shoes. We know how much time and dedication it takes to be a great athlete. We would love to help you navigate what you’re feeling, in order to support you in taking care of your mental health! That is why we offer therapy for athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC!
Our therapists for athletes know that mental health is a priority.
Playing sports is supposed to be fun. However, being an athlete can come with a lot of added pressure. You want to be great at what you do, but the pressure can feel overwhelming at times. You find yourself feeling anxious and/or depressed because you’re comparing yourself to others or you’re dealing with personal issues that have a significant impact on you. Your body feels more tired than usual, which leaves you losing focus in practice or in games. This may cause you to feel disconnected from yourself, your coaches, teammates, and loved ones. You might think there’s something physically wrong with you or you may think that what you’re experiencing isn’t real. The reality is your mental health is suffering.
The Truth About Athlete Mental Health
Mental health hasn’t really been talked about in the sports and athletics world until recent years. Athletes such as Simone Biles, Michael Phelps, Naomi Osaka, Liz Cambage, Demar DeRozan, and others have experienced all or part of what you’re going through. Thankfully, these athletes have spoken out about their own mental health battles and some have even chosen to withdraw from competition and games in order to take care of their mental wellbeing. Now is the time for you to take care of yourself and prioritize your mental health.
You don’t have to continue being “tough” and “sucking it up.” Know that you’re not weak; you’re hurting. There’s no shame in asking for help from a therapist for athletes. When you have a physical injury you seek out help from a doctor or trainer; when you’re going through mental health issues you seek out help from an in-person or online therapist. We’re here to be the support you need and deserve in therapy for athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC.
Common Reasons Athletes Begin Sports Counseling
Everyone experiences some form of mental health issues. As an athlete, here’s what may show up for you in regards to your mental health:
Performance Anxiety: anxiety related to performing in practices or games, which impacts your ability to give your best effort
Depression: prolonged sadness due to comparing your skills to others or blaming yourself for certain outcomes (i.e. losing a game or not making the playoffs)
Trauma: experiencing distressing events that are related to your sport (i.e. injury, discrimination within your sport or on your team, team hazing, abuse of power by coaches/authority figures)
Team Dynamics: challenging time meshing with your teammates, experiencing toxic or hostile team environments, feeling excluded or alone
Relationship with Coaches: difficulty relating to your coaches, not feeling heard or genuinely cared for by your coaches
Burnout: mental, emotional, and physical exhaustion due to hours of practices, games, and extended amounts of travel
Injury: hard time accepting injury and road to recovery, sadness due to missing games or sports career ending due to injury
Self Esteem: feeling like you’re not good enough or not worthy, being highly critical of your performance, negative self-talk, or body image concerns
Identity: difficulty figuring out your identity outside of sports or having a hard time identifying other interests
Body Image: pressure from yourself, coaches, or trainers to gain or lose weight in order to perform
Time Management: challenging time managing other life responsibilities such as school, work, or spending time with loved ones
Overall Wellness (sleeping, eating, self-care, etc): difficulty taking care of yourself or creating healthy habits
Counseling For Athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC Can Help You Feel Lighter!
We know you love your sport and we know how much time you’ve dedicated to be where you are. You’ll find comfort knowing that we’re former athletes who know what it’s like to compete at high levels. Whether you’re a high school, college, or professional athlete, we understand how demanding sports can be. You’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to compete or perform in therapy. During your sports counseling sessions, you can take time to slow down, breathe and be yourself.
Our Goal for You in Therapy
At Milk & Honey Therapy, we care about creating a genuine relationship with you and getting to know the different parts of who you are. You’re more than just an athlete. You’re an amazing human being who has so much to offer. We care about your mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual wellbeing. We’ll work together to help you align your mind, body, and spirit so that you can show up as your best self, and set healthy boundaries.
As a result of prioritizing your mental health, you’ll experience less anxiety and performance anxiety, increased self-confidence, deeper relationships with others, and improved sports performance. Your healing is our priority and we want to see you be successful in all areas of life!
Milk & Honey Therapy’s Approach to Therapy for Athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC
As an athlete, we know how much you value your body and physical health. That is why we take a holistic approach to healing and wellness. We love to use a variety of holistic approaches such as Walk & Talk Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Mindfulness, EMDR, Brainspotting, and Somatic (body-focused) Therapy. These therapy approaches will help you listen to your body, gain insight into the mind-body connection, and identify negative thought patterns that impact your physical and mental health.
Many athletes have used some of these approaches in their self-care and athletic journey.
Holistic wellness and mindfulness practices have been used by various professional athletes and famous coaches such as Lebron James and Phil Jackson. Mindfulness and breathing techniques have been shown to help athletes be more present and quiet the noise in their heads. Not only does mindfulness improve your sports performance, but also it has been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and performance anxiety, depression, PTSD, and trauma. In addition to incorporating mindfulness techniques into your life, we’ll also encourage you to make small lifestyle changes and create healthier habits in order to improve your overall wellness. We believe that you’ll greatly benefit from adding holistic wellness approaches to your healing journey.
Are you ready to begin therapy in Honolulu and Greensboro?
As we work with you, you’ll begin to feel more like yourself on and off the court, field, or track. When you feel more like yourself, you’ll become more confident in how you show up in life! When you’re ready, begin therapy for athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC today!
Begin Therapy for Athletes in Honolulu, HI and Greensboro, NC Today!
It’s hard to feel passionate about your sport and about life when your mental health is struggling. You deserve to feel joy both on and off the field or court. We’ll work together as a team to help you feel liberated both physically and mentally! If you are ready to begin services at Milk & Honey Therapy in Honolulu, HI, you can work with one of our skilled therapists for athletes soon. To get started, follow these simple steps:
Meet with our therapists for athletes who work with kids, teens, and young adults
Begin feeling physically and emotionally free!
Other Services Milk & Honey Therapy Offers:
Working with kids, teens and young adults is our passion at Milk & Honey Therapy in Honolulu, HI. In our in-person and online therapy practice, we offer more than therapy for athletes. Other services we provide include PTSD and trauma treatment, depression treatment, anxiety treatment, play therapy, Brainspotting therapy, Somatic Experiencing, EMDR therapy, walk & talk therapy, faith-based therapy, therapy intensives, and ADHD treatment. If you are looking for more support, contact us. We offer therapy in Honolulu, HI or anywhere via online therapy in North Carolina. We look forward to working with you!