Mental Health Awareness Month: Strategies from Dr. Mike Clark

Dr. Mike Clark shares essential strategies for athletes to prioritize their mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month.

This Mental Health Awareness Month, we reached out to Team USA team sports psychologist Dr. Mike Clark for tips to keep athletes mindful and in the game. Dr. Clark provided USATF Campus with the following strategies and reminders to keep athlete mental health a priority. **Identity & Whole-Person Well-Being** Athletes tend to be more resilient when their identity extends beyond sport alone. Having meaningful relationships, interests, and identified values outside of competition can help protect mental health during challenges or career transitions. Developing interests, relationships, and values outside of sport does not reduce competitiveness; it often improves emotional regulation, perspective, confidence stability, and long-term performance consistency. **Proactive Mental Skills & Regu…