The One Training All Coaches Need
Last week, I had the honor of leading a workshop as part of the Stay in the Game Network at Beyond Sport's Workshop Week alongside NFL legend Brian Dawkins, Olympic gold medalist Helen Richardson Walsh and former professional footballer Clarke Carlisle.
We talked about the humanness of athletes trying to do superhuman things - and the toll it can take on our mental health when we don’t have a strong foundation of self. We collectively called on organizations, brands, leagues and NGOs to take a more proactive approach supporting the development of the WHOLE athlete, which includes mental wellness.
The synergy was incredible.
"Contributing to the topic was CEO of USA Gymnastics, Li Li Leung and Olympic gold medalist, Samantha Livingstone. Livingstone expressed how important it is to transform the way we talk about mental and emotional health as a whole in order to give athletes the tools they need to manage that for themselves.
“Human first, when we become better people, we become better athletes”, Livingstone stated as she wrapped up her conversation."
(Link to the article: https://bit.ly/3eE1NG5)
ONE of the ways I'm helping to transform the way we talk about mental and emotional health as a whole is by training coaches in Mental Health First Aid.
I’m excited to share with you that in July of 2020, I'll be able to offer this (updated) training virtually.
(AND! The revised course is 6.5 hours vs. 8, infuses trauma-informed practices and includes updated handouts.)
This training is on-point and the need, absolutely critical. And given the pandemic + isolation, the need is only growing.
Coaches are the extended eyes, ears + hearts of our village, often spending more time with our youth than any other adult.
Ready or not, coaches are on the front lines and many aren't sure what to do or say when they're working with athletes who are facing mental health challenges.
Based on conversations with coaches and organizational leaders, there's a tendency for coaches to shut the conversation down (I don't want to say the wrong thing. I'm not going there.) or step out of their area of expertise and take on the role of a mental health professional (Just trying to help. I'm afraid to betray their trust.).
There's a middle ground here. Mental Health First Aid helps equip coaches with the skills + confidence to become the bridge to appropriate supports.
Coaching organizations require CPR training for physical health, why not Mental Health First Aid for mental + emotional health?
If you're a coach, sports parent and/or part of a coaching organization, let’s get this done. Together.
It's time to up our game on the mental health front.
Let’s go.
Samantha Arsenault Livingstone is an Olympic gold medalist, high-performance consultant, speaker and mental health advocate. In 2016, Samantha founded Livingstone High Performance and the Whole Athlete Initiative (the WAI) in response to the mental health crisis impacting adolescents across the globe. LHP provides pillars of support to organizations, teams and individuals to elevate mental health and improve performance.
In addition to private and group coaching, Samantha consults with teams and organizations on athlete wellness initiatives, leadership, strategic planning, rising skills and developing high-performance cultures. She is a certified instructor of Mental Health First Aid for adults working with youth and a facilitator of Mindful Sports Performance Enhancement.
Samantha is the founder and facilitator of two, multi-module online courses, the Rise Free Academy and Ride the Wave — inspiring, empowering and equipping others with the skills + supports needed to become more mindful, courageous, resilient leaders.
Samantha and her husband, Rob, live in New England with their four daughters. To learn more about her offerings, go over to www.samanthalivingstone.com.