When ice hockey player Amanda Kessel got a concussion, she thought she was doing the right thing by resting. But her migraines and dizziness didn’t improve, and she became anxious and depressed. As it turns out, rest is no longer the recommended treatment for athletes suffering from prolonged concussions. In fact, it can make them […]
Maame Biney was the first Black woman to make it onto the U.S. Olympic Speedskating team. But she almost didn’t make it to Beijing this year after working with a coach she found abusive. In this episode of The Mental Games, Biney opens up about struggling with her mental health and how she regained her […]
Professional golfer Alena Sharp started getting “the yips” whenever she would try to putt. She experienced severe anxiety and physical tension that crept up her arms and into her jaw. So she started using a technique called “quiet eye,” which not only improved her aim but also helped her calm her body and mind. In […]
Paralympian Matt Stutzman, born without arms, has become a world-class archer by shooting with his feet. He trains in remote Iowa, where his only competition is in his mind. So he imagines matches in extreme detail, from the feel of the wind to the sound of a crowd — a technique scientists have shown can […]