Acts of Courage

An invaluable resource to erase the stigma of women's mental health struggles from sports Only in recent years have the mental health struggles of athletes begun to be realized, especially for women. With star athletes like Naomi Osaka and Simone Biles speaking up about their mental wellbeing, a light is finally being shone on this critical issue. Yet, despite the increasing number of pro athletes speaking out, negative stereotypes and a lack of understanding continues at all levels of sport today. In Acts of Courage: A Guide to Understanding Mental Health in Female Athletes, Joan Steidinger addresses the very real and incapacitating mental health challenges experienced by female athletes. She corrects misconceptions about mental health struggles, illustrates signs and symptoms gatekeepers--parents, coaches, teachers, therapists, and teammates--should be vigilant about, and suggests action steps that these gatekeepers should take to support their athletes' mental health. Throughout, Steidinger also shares firsthand accounts collected from interviews she has conducted with mental health practitioners, female athletes, and coaches. Covering a wide range of topics--including the susceptibility of teenage and elite female athletes to depression, the impact of burnout and injuries on mental health, and more--Acts of Courage provides the professional insight, actionable advice, and invaluable resources that gatekeepers need to support and advocate for their female athletes. By erasing the stigma of mental health from athletics, we can finally create an environment in which all female athletes, regardless of their individual challenges, can thrive.

Joan Steidinger, PhD, is a licensed clinical and sports psychologist and award-winning author. She is designated as a Certified Mental Performance Consultant Emeriti by the Association of Applied Sport Psychology and was on the United States Olympic Committee's Registry of Sports Psychology. Her books include Sisterhood in Sports: How Female Athletes Collaborate and Compete and Stand Up and Shout Out: Women's Fights for Equal Pay, Equal Rights, and Equal Opportunities in Sports. Steidinger lives in Sebastopol, California.

Foreword Acknowledgements: It Takes a Village Introduction Chapter 1. The Dilemma of Mental Health Chapter 2. Challenges: Common Diagnoses of Female Athletes Chapter 3. Societal: Role of Culture and Identity Chapter 4. Extra Baggage: Injuries, Overtraining, and Burnout Chapter 5. Understanding Student-Athletes: Teens & Collegiate Chapter 6. Elite Females: Pro & Olympic Athletes Chapter 7. WNBA Phenom's Odyssey: Chamique Holdsclaw Chapter 8. Top Female Ultrarunner Uses Depression as Her Superpower: The Story of Nikki Kimball Chapter 9. Sport Gatekeepers: This is Your Wake-up Call to Remove the Stigma of Mental Illness Chapter 10. Empowering Female Athlete: Resources for Mental Health and Mental Illness Challenges Notes Bibliography About the Author