Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.)Sports shape culture — and culture shapes how we talk about mental health.

In Part 2 of our conversation with the team at All Points North, we take a deeper look at one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—tools in athlete mental health: group therapy.

Why does it work so well for athletes? It starts with one simple realization: you’re not alone.

This episode explores how shared experience, vulnerability, and accountability can break through isolation and help athletes rediscover connection, identity, and purpose. We also discuss how group therapy complements individual and family work, and why creating psychologically safe environments is essential for performance.

You’ll hear practical insights on:

• Building trust and communication within teams
• The role of coaches in shaping mental health culture
• Tools like daily emotional check-ins and “name it to tame it”
• Why mental health support should be seen as performance optimization

We close with powerful advice for athletes who may be struggling in silence—and the message that help is not weakness, but strength.

🎙️ Featuring voices from All Points North and Peak Sports Psychiatry

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.)Sports shape culture — and culture shapes how we talk about mental health.

In this special episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, we’re joined by an incredible team from All Points North (APN)—Courtney Messina, Ros Wilson, and former NFL player and coach Michael Wilhoite.

This conversation also marks the beginning of an exciting partnership between Peak Sports Psychiatry and APN, as we collaborate to support athletes and high-performing individuals transitioning from higher levels of care into outpatient settings.

In Part 1, we explore the often-unspoken challenges surrounding mental health in sport, including:

• The structural and cultural barriers that prevent athletes from seeking care
• The role of stigma, time demands, and confidentiality concerns

• Why trust is central to effective mental health support
• The impact of identity, performance pressure, and athletic culture

• How peer support and shared experience can unlock meaningful engagement in care

Drawing from lived experience, clinical expertise, and work with elite athletes across professional and collegiate levels, this episode offers an honest look at what’s working—and what still needs to change.

Part 2 will dive deeper into group therapy, practical strategies, and how to better engage athletes in mental health care.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.)Sports shape culture — and culture shapes how we talk about mental health.

In sport, the same traits we celebrate such as discipline, drive, pain tolerance, and relentless pursuit of improvement can also increase vulnerability to disordered eating.

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn are joined by two leading experts in eating disorders in sport: Dr. Riley Nickols and Becca McConville.

Dr. Nickols is a sport and counseling psychologist, founder of MindBody Endurance, former director of the Victory Program, and a member of the USOPC REDs expert panel.
Becca McConville is a sports dietitian, eating disorder specialist, REDs expert, and consultant to professional, collegiate, and endurance athletes.

Together they explore the complex intersection of sport culture, performance pressure, and athlete mental health, and discuss how clinicians, coaches, and athletic departments can build environments where high performance and health coexist rather than compete.

Topics covered include:

• Why athletes are uniquely vulnerable to eating disorders• The role of perfectionism, sport culture, and social media• REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) explained• Multidisciplinary treatment teams for athlete care• Safe return-to-sport decisions during recovery• Early warning signs coaches and clinicians often miss• How language and team culture influence athlete wellbeing

As Dr. Allen notes during the episode:

“High performance should never require self-destruction.”

Dr. Riley Nickols and Becca McConville host the 5th Annual Eating Disorders in Sport Conference: A Treatment Playbook for Providers.

📅 July 31, 2026🎯 Theme: Treating the Adolescent and Young Adult Athlete📍 Virtual conference with continuing education available

Peak Sports Psychiatry listeners receive 20% off registration.

Use promo code: Peak20

Register here:
https://mindbodyendurance.com/sport-psychology/eating-disorders-in-sport-annual-workshop-26/