August 2021
Working with athletes and high profile clients (will re-present this topic in Fall 2021 )
During the 2020 (2021) Olympics, Simone Biles shared that she had the “twisties”. Naomi Osaka detailed her experience with anxiety and depression. Michael Phelps has shared publically his diagnoses of depression and ADHD. Other well-known people have also detailed their mental health concerns including Chrissy Teigen with postpartum depression, Taraji P. Henson and Janet Jackson with depression, and Demi Lovato, Lisa Nicole Carson, and Jennifer Lewis with bipolar disorder.
Having high public visibility can have rewards and challenges. The glory of doing well, having fans, celebrated accomplishments, public acknowledgment, and recognition of one’s talents can feel great. It can impact self-definition and identity. It can also lead to frustration, anxiety, and isolation.
In this month’s Trust the Process group we will discuss the ways in which working with athletes and (other)high-profile clients requires a focus on specific elements of identity, the media spotlight, and pressure. As counselors who work with the public, we have to be aware of the emotional, ethical, professional, and social consequences of working with people who are in this specialized, yet “normal” group of people.