In this episode of the True to Life Podcast, I’m joined by Ivy Watts, a former Division II All-American track and field athlete turned mental health speaker, for a grounded conversation on mental health in sport.

Ivy shares practical insight from her own experience navigating elite competition while struggling internally, and how she now helps student-athletes build healthier relationships with performance, pressure, and identity.

• Why mental health is essential to performance, not separate from it

• Common mental health challenges student-athletes face

• How to recognize the difference between discipline and burnout

• Why asking for help feels difficult in competitive environments

• Tools student-athletes can use to check in with themselves during the season

• How identity shifts when sport no longer defines you

• You don’t need to be at a breaking point to care for your mental health

• Your worth extends beyond results and stats

Ivy Watts is a former DII All-American and mental health speaker who works with athletes and organizations to reduce stigma and promote well-being.

Website: ivywattsspeaks.com
Instagram: @ivywattsspeaks
X: @IvyWattsSpeaks

Host: Nanik Tagore

Pepperdine’s own Mia Skuraton, a track and field athlete, a campus leader, and a future sports psychology professional who wants to help student-athletes understand who they are when their sport is no longer the center of their identity.

In this conversation, Mia unpacks something most athletes never learn early enough:

Passion can fade, but purpose doesn’t.
And when you build your life around purpose — not performance, not results, not outside approval — you set yourself up for real stability and meaning.

We dive into:

• How athletes can rediscover identity beyond the sport

• The difference between chasing passion and building purpose

• How belonging shapes confidence and mental health

• Mia’s own journey with leadership and community at Pepperdine

• Her vision for helping athletes transition with clarity and confidence

This episode is for anyone navigating identity, change, or the question of who they are without what they do.

Mia's Links:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/miaskuraton/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amelia-skuraton-335851284/

Roster: https://pepperdinewaves.com/sports/track-and-field/roster/mia-skuraton/5697

Nanik Tagore:

https://linktr.ee/Naniktagore48

Profile: Nanik Tagore