Mental Health for Athletes: An Interview with Michael Atunrase

 

For many kids and teenagers, playing sports becomes a big part of their life and even their identity. Knowing that anxiety and depression can increase during intense training periods, it’s important to know as a parent how to support your child’s mental health. Whether your child is still a preschooler or already in high school and dealing with the pressure of recruiting to get on a college team, today’s guest will give you invaluable insights on how to keep your athlete mentally healthy.

Today’s guest on Podcast Therapists is Michael Atunrase, better known to some as Coach Mike. Michael is the founder and head coach of Resilience Fitness & Sports Performance Training and has even taken on the job to work with both Amanda and Sarah.

“… it’s such a wonder for them mentally when they realize that
their losses are not true losses because they could learn from them and build from them.”
- Michael Atunrase

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts or any other podcast platform.

More about Michael Atunrase

After completing his Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology, Michael pursued a professional football career. Knowing he wanted to continue pursuing a professional career in human performance training after football ended, he acquired his CSCS (Certified Strength Coach Specialist), NASM (National Academy of Sports Medicine), and NASE (National Academy of Speed & Explosion) certifications.

Over the past decade, Michael Atunrase has trained several top athletes and helped them to reach their full athletic potential. His training model goes further than just workouts. He also focuses on educating his clients on what their minds and bodies endure through their training processes.

In 2020, he officially launched Resilience Fitness & Sports Performance, a virtual fitness and performance training service where you can go for both virtual and in-person performance training, group training, 1:1 training, yoga, HITT training and much more.

In this episode, we cover

• Three ways to keep your athlete mentally healthy
• The big part sports life plays in a teenager’s life and his or her identity
• Your role as a parent in your child's athletic life
• The importance of communication
• Growth mindset

Resources and links mentioned in this episode

• Connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.
• Get in contact with Michael on his website, Facebook, or Instagram.
• Are you or your child struggling with mental health? We have a team of psychologists and psychiatrists who can help you out. Don’t hesitate to contact us here.