ADULT/ELITE PROGRAM
INTRODUCTION
Adults and elite athletes face a myriad of stresses and challenges over the course of their sports participation. Often the stresses and pressures are self-imposed. Injuries and criticisms can also contribute to undermine self-confidence and self-esteem.
The adult and/or elite athlete journey is fraught with both elation and disappointments. Dr. Nickson has traveled that journey and now counsels those that travel similar paths. He shares his insights and life lessons learned. ABC proclaimed, “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat.” Less dramatic is living the dream or suffering the grind, toil & toll of adult/elite sports participation… and sometimes the loss of the thrill. The insights provided herein are intended to assist less than elite, as well as elite athletes to enjoy the best that sports participation has to offer to be able to withstand and navigate the inevitable setbacks.
Whether your experience in sports is/has been a sprint of a marathon, the goal is to finish standing and able to relish the friendships made and events experienced over the course of the race. After reviewing the provided topic articles below, a bibliography and next-step suggestions are provided to allow you to continue your journey in sports and life.
Christopher Nickson, Ph.D
Christopher Nickson is a Master’s level mental health professional and former elite athlete that has been committed to working within the mental health field for over the last decade. As a former quarterback for Vanderbilt University and player in the Canadian Football League, Christopher has dedicated his life’s work to enhancing strategies of sustainability for individuals, families, and organizations.
Christopher received his Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in 2015 from Argosy University. While providing therapeutic treatment to youth and families across Middle Tennessee, Christopher coordinated his learnings and the development of his unique skill set with his passion for engaging athletes along a path of psychosocial and spiritual development. As a result, he pursued a niche of sports-based therapeutic services to respond to the holistic developmental needs of elite athletes. In 2017, Christopher founded LifeSkills Sports Academy (LSSA) as an organizational effort to provide individuals and sport-related communities with life skill development tools and therapeutic experiences that contribute to mental health wellness. Christopher later authored the book Trauma vs. Self: An Experiential Guide to Self to assist others in reshaping and redefining traumatic experiences (Mill City Press, 2019). In 2021, Christopher completed his Doctorate in Education and Organizational Leadership with a specific emphasis on athlete mental health and sport organizational strategies and interventions. Christopher is currently continuing his pursuits toward licensure as a professional counselor.
YOUNG ELITE ATHLETE PERFORMANCE
ELITE ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH
UNDERSTANDING ELITE ATHLETE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES