Student-Athletes Face Unique Challenges
Sports have been proven to enhance student’s lives by offering them distinctive and empowering experiences. However, student-athletes also face unique challenges.
Anxiety disorders are common among student-athletes. The pressure to perform in the classroom and on the field can lead to mental exhaustion. Poor sleep quality can lead to negative mental health outcomes, as well as academic and athletic underperformance. Student-athletes are also at high risk for developing body dysmorphia and self-esteem-related issues.
The Lebanon Ice Hockey Boosters recognizes that protecting our athlete’s mental health is an important aspect of our mission. We’ve recruited a group of mental health experts to help us facilitate a conversation regarding mental health for the parents of student-athletes.
We held this discussion in January at Mascoma Valley Regional High School. Our panel of experts did an amazing job providing our attendees with insight into supporting their student-athletes through failure, burnout, and a variety of other challenges.
Meet Our Experts
-
Brittany Little, MSW, LICSW, MT-BC
Brittany is a licensed clinical independent social worker and board approved clinical supervisor. She earned her bachelor's degree in music therapy from Appalachian State University and master's degree in clinical social work from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She has worked in level 1 trauma center emergency departments, intensive outpatient treatment centers, outpatient therapy clinics, and residential treatment centers. She is currently the Clinical Director at Moosilauke Counseling Solutions in Hanover, NH.
She has specialized training and experience in treating children and teens with mood disorders, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive disorders, depression, eating disorders/ARFID, and trauma. She is skilled in providing Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-AR, and Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
-
Tim DiGiacomo, PsyD
Dr. Tim DiGiacomo is a licensed clinical psychologist in Hanover, NH. Tim grew up in CT playing ice hockey with friends and also for his high school team. While certainly not the best player, Tim worked hard, supported his team and found playing to be meaningful. Tim specializes in helping others overcome their anxieties, make choices to move towards their goals, and improve their overall performance. Tim is happy to be a part of this LIHB event.
Tim is currently in private practice and serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine. Tim previously served as the Clinical Director of Mountain Valley Treatment Center for approximately eight years. Tim has also previously worked in community mental health, several schools, hospitals, research labs and has taught at the college and graduate level. Tim earned his doctorate through The Virginia Consortium Program in Clinical Psychology.
-
Phoebe Manchester, MS, NCC, LCMHS
Phoebe Manchester is a licensed mental health counselor who was born and raised in the Upper Valley. She graduated from Hanover High School, where she was a founding member of the girls ice hockey program; and from Dartmouth College, where she played four years of varsity ice hockey and won two Ivy League Championships. After college, Phoebe spent 10 years coaching college ice hockey including 8 seasons as an NCAA Division III head coach. She also spent time with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization coaching their girls' elite program where her teams qualified for 5 USA Hockey Tier I National Championship Tournaments in 5 years, including a trip to the U14 national semi-finals in 2013. Phoebe has been active in USA Hockey as a coach and evaluator at district and national camps, as an instructor for the USA Hockey Coaching Education Program, and has been a referee for youth, high school, and prep school hockey.
Phoebe currently has a private practice in downtown Hanover, Treadwell Counseling and Performance Coaching, where she specializes in treating OCD, anxiety, and perfectionism. In addition, she utilizes her background in counseling, coaching, and athletics to provide mental performance coaching to athletes and other high performers to help them develop the mental skills to consistently perform their best.
Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who joined us for our discussion!
We would especially like to thank our panelists for their time and for providing us with their insights on this important topic. We’d also like to thank Mascoma Valley Regional High School for hosting us.
As we mentioned at the event, we’ve received a grant from Walmart to host a similar event for our student-athletes. Please keep an eye out for more information regarding that event!
Looking for the contact info for our panelists?
Brittany Little, MSW, LICSW, MT-BC
Moosilauke Counseling Solutions
www.moosilaukecs.com
brittany.little@moosilaukecs.com
603-691-3435
Tim DiGiacomo, PsyD
12 South Street, 2A Hanover
Timothy.DiGiacomo.PsyD@gmail.com
603-413-4536
Phoebe Manchester, LCMHS
Treadwell Counseling
www.treadwellcounseing.com
phoebe@treadwellcounseling.com
603-276-0721