In recent years professional sports leagues have started paying more attention to the mental health of their players. Programs like Mind Health from the NBA ensure direct support from mental health professionals to all players, and the NFL requires teams to have the help of a psychologist or psychiatrist that is on site or available throughout the week for sessions or discussion.
According to the Clinical Journal of Sports Medicine, athletes are more at risk of mental health issues because of the intensity required; perfectionism and competitiveness can lead to disorders such as anxiety or depression.
The LMU Athletic Department recognizes the importance of mental health in student-athletes. Counseling, consultation, or therapy is available if necessary for student-athletes from psychologists working in the department. LMU has worked to join this wave of mental health awareness. On top of presentations and activities, such as Wellness Workshops and Groups offered by Student Psychological Services and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention talks on campus, appointments with mental health professionals are available to all students, including athletes.
The Community of Care (COC) is another example of the resources available. When reached out to, they said they provide care that is more specific to a student’s needs at a specific time and less like routine therapy. For those who sense someone around them is in need of help, the “LMU Community of Care Referral Form” exists to directly request services for a colleague or friend. The LMU Community of Care Referral Form can be submitted anonymously or not, by either staff members or a fellow student, about a student potentially dealing with financial, behavioral, or mental health issues. The form is then randomly assigned to one of the COC’s case managers who then reaches out to the student who is in need of care.
Senior Anna Doherty, a member of the women’s swim team, hopes to spread awareness within the Loyola Marymount University community about the importance of mental health. “I think that any mental health care should be given preventatively rather than reactionary,” she said.
Doherty is in her third year as a campus captain for The Hidden Opponent, which is not affiliated with LMU. The nonprofit supports mental health in athletes and enlists “campus captains” like Doherty to give informational talks on campus. Along with representing LMU through the The Hidden Opponent, Doherty is an NCAA Representative working with the office of the ASLMU VP of Student Wellness.
Doherty decided to try and make LMU’s Community of Care Referral form more accessible to athletes in need of help. “I have filled [the form] out for a few of my teammates before,” Doherty said. “I’ve realized that there’s a lack of communication between administration that it goes to and athletics.”
Doherty met with people in the Athletic Department to call attention to this and suggested adding a section on the form indicating whether the student being referred is an athlete. If this extra box were checked, the referral information would also be sent to someone in the Athletic Department to decide whether the student’s coach should be informed. Doherty says her proposal is currently being discussed by athletics and the Dean of Students.
“When I got to LMU, I was given so many different opportunities to pursue my passion in mental health and actually make changes,” said Doherty. “And I think that a part of that is because of the values at the school. There’s just a lot of good people that are willing to listen to you.”
