Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.).

Sports betting is everywhere — and for athletes, teams, and clinicians, the mental health implications are only just beginning to surface.

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn sit down with Dr. Timothy Fong, Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at UCLA, co-director of the UCLA Gambling Studies Program, and one of the nation’s leading experts in addiction psychiatry and gambling disorder. Dr. Fong also serves as the team psychiatrist for the Los Angeles Lakers, offering a unique perspective on how gambling intersects with elite performance, integrity, and athlete well-being.

Together, they explore:

• Why sports betting expanded so rapidly after 2018 and how increased access changes behavior

• Why gambling disorder is more common than many realize — and often mistaken for a “money problem”

• The three ways gambling impacts athletes: addiction, integrity, and online abuse

• How prop bets can dehumanize athletes and increase harassment tied to performance

• Why young athletes are particularly vulnerable in a culture where gambling is normalized

• What effective treatment for gambling disorder looks like, including why you don’t have to hit “rock bottom” to seek help

• How language matters: the difference between “losing” money and “spending” money

This episode is not about banning gambling. It’s about education, prevention, and protecting athletes in a rapidly changing sports landscape.

Resources mentioned in this episode:• 1-800-GAMBLER (24/7 support)• e-VIVE gambling education app• UCLA Gambling Studies Program

If this conversation resonates with you — whether you’re an athlete, coach, clinician, or parent — consider sharing it with someone who might benefit.

Presented By:

Peak Sports Psychiatry and 43 Degree Sports — celebrating the athletes, mindset, and stories that move sports forward.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.).

What happens when the game ends — or when performance no longer defines you? In this Season 2 premiere of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn sit down with Steve Wheatcroft, former PGA Tour professional (300+ starts), Korn Ferry Tour winner, author, and founder of the Mulligan Foundation.

Steve shares a raw, deeply honest conversation about:

- Life after professional golf and the identity void many athletes face

- Why walking away from the Tour wasn’t the hardest part — not knowing who he was without it was

- How depression and alcohol use quietly took hold post-retirement

- The moment treatment helped him realize it wasn’t about drinking, but about identity

- Why “this is what you do” is very different from “this is who you are”

Steve also discusses the origin of his book Cocktails and Range Balls: One’s Too Many, Ten’s Not Enough, written not for himself, but for “him” — the athlete silently struggling. Within 24 hours of release, that person reached out asking for help.

Now, through the Mulligan Foundation, Steve is building a life-stage mental health and transition pipeline for golfers — from youth sports through college, professional golf, and retirement.

This episode is about golf, but it’s really about purpose, resilience, and what comes next — lessons that apply to every athlete, coach, and high performer.

🎧 Listen, reflect, and share with someone who might need it.

Learn more:

• The Mulligan Foundation: https://themulliganfoundation.org/

• Steve Wheatcroft’s book: Cocktails and Range Balls: https://a.co/d/aoZq8X2

Presented By:

Peak Sports Psychiatryand 43 Degree Sports — celebrating the athletes, mindset, and stories that move sports forward.

Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health struggles. If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 (U.S.).

Golf may be the greatest mental game ever created — and this week’s guest proves it.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn sit down with Dr. Carly Hunt, sport & health psychologist, former Division I golfer (Georgetown & Maryland), and author of Train Your Brain to Beat Chronic Pain. Together, they break down what separates good golfers from great ones — and why skills like trust, acceptance, and self-belief matter far more than swing mechanics.

Carly shares:
• The Think Box → Decision Line → Play Box routine every golfer should practice
• How to handle nerves when your hands are literally shaking on the first tee
• What to do when intrusive thoughts (“don’t shank this”) won’t stop
• Why process goals beat score obsession
• How social media pressure is reshaping the junior and college golf landscape
• Her groundbreaking work in chronic pain, neuroplasticity, and mind-body training

Whether you’re a competitive golfer, a weekend player chasing 79, or someone fascinated by the psychology of high performance, this conversation delivers practical tools you can use today — on and off the course.

🎧 Dr. Carly Hunt’s book: Train Your Brain to Beat Chronic Pain

🔗 Learn more: thinkbettergolf

Home — Present Mind ConsultingThis episode is brought to you by 43 Degree Sports — celebrating the athletes, the mindset, and the stories that make sports unforgettable.