Strong Minds

Strong Minds is an interactive learning activity focused on developing adaptive coping skills.

Competition provides a natural opportunity to develop active strategies for maintaining emotional wellness under stress, such as thinking positive thoughts, releasing stress, and connecting with others.

Athletes learn about and try a few different active coping strategies as they move through the stations. Before exiting, athletes identify the strategies they like best and volunteers provide them with visual reminders to use these tools in competition and in daily life.

The screenings take about 10 - 30 minutes to complete and are performed between the athletes competing.  Athletes pass through the various stations and at the conclusion of the screenings, the athlete is given a pinwheel and stress ball to continue practicing stress management in their daily lives.

Strong Minds is currently being further developed to include formal mental health screening measures (i.e., CORE-LD30 and WEMWBS-ID) to identify athletes at-risk for mental health concerns. Screening results will inform a more robust referral system to connect these athletes with community-based healthcare professionals.