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Top 10 Tips with Dr. Kensa Gunter: Mental Well-Being for Youth Athletes

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Dr. Kensa Gunter is a licensed psychologist and a Certified Mental Performance Consultant (CMPC) through the Association for Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). In her Atlanta based private practice, she provides mental health and mental performance services to athletes competing at high school, collegiate, & professional levels. She also provides consultation services and serves as the team clinician for various sport organizations. Prior to her current positions, Dr. Gunter worked in the world of college athletics serving as the primary sport psychology consultant for a NCAA D-I athletic program. Additionally, Dr. Gunter provides workshops and lectures at national conferences on topics including, but not limited to, understanding mental health and wellness, mental skills for elite performance, diversity in sport, athlete mental health, and clinical work with athletic populations.

In this blog/video, Dr. Gunter shares the Top 10 Tips on Mental Well-Being for Youth Athletes.

1) Although we need to remain physically distant to help stop the spread, we need to remain socially together. Maintain a sense of community by reaching out to people so no one feels alone.

2) Utilize virtual workouts, though the experience may be different, being able to see each other creates a social connection. Also, check out apps such as Headspace or Calm to practice meditation and mental training to teach kids how to control their positive and negative thoughts.

3) Coaches can get involved in leadership in a different way by talking about character-building and the identity their athletes hold outside of their sport.

4) To avoid becoming overwhelmed, parents can create schedules to build in time for homeschooling, breaks from work, and times to exercise.

5) When young kids are unable to express themselves, consider using emotion charts online, movies, or their favorite stuffed animals to help them tell you how they’re feeling.

Click below to see all ten tips!

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  • URL: https://positivecoach.org/the-pca-blog/top-10-tips-with-dr-kensa-gunter-mental-well-being-for-youth-athletes/
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