Season 3 begins with Dr. Derek Suite, a pioneering sports psychiatrist and mental performance strategist who works across professional basketball, football, hockey, and soccer.

Fresh off a championship season with the New York Knicks, Dr. Suite joins Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn for a behind-the-scenes look at sports psychiatry at the highest levels of competition. They discuss the importance of trust and relationships, the many roles of an embedded psychiatrist, and how performance concerns involving sleep, confidence, or competitive stress can open the door to deeper conversations about mental health.

Dr. Suite also explores the distinction between mental performance and clinical care, responding to crises in high-profile environments, helping athletes separate who they are from what they do, and the vital roles of culture, identity, spirituality, and human connection.

This conversation captures both the art and science of sports psychiatry and the importance of seeing every athlete as a complete human being, not simply a performer.

If you enjoy the episode, follow the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast and share it with someone passionate about athlete mental health, sports medicine, or human performance.

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 shape culture — and culture shapes how we talk about mental health.

In Part 2 of our conversation with the team at All Points North, we take a deeper look at one of the most powerful—and often overlooked—tools in athlete mental health: group therapy.

Why does it work so well for athletes? It starts with one simple realization: you’re not alone.

This episode explores how shared experience, vulnerability, and accountability can break through isolation and help athletes rediscover connection, identity, and purpose. We also discuss how group therapy complements individual and family work, and why creating psychologically safe environments is essential for performance.

You’ll hear practical insights on:

• Building trust and communication within teams
• The role of coaches in shaping mental health culture
• Tools like daily emotional check-ins and “name it to tame it”
• Why mental health support should be seen as performance optimization

We close with powerful advice for athletes who may be struggling in silence—and the message that help is not weakness, but strength.

🎙️ Featuring voices from All Points North and Peak Sports Psychiatry

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 shape culture — and culture shapes how we talk about mental health.

In this special episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, we’re joined by an incredible team from All Points North (APN)—Courtney Messina, Ros Wilson, and former NFL player and coach Michael Wilhoite.

This conversation also marks the beginning of an exciting partnership between Peak Sports Psychiatry and APN, as we collaborate to support athletes and high-performing individuals transitioning from higher levels of care into outpatient settings.

In Part 1, we explore the often-unspoken challenges surrounding mental health in sport, including:

• The structural and cultural barriers that prevent athletes from seeking care
• The role of stigma, time demands, and confidentiality concerns

• Why trust is central to effective mental health support
• The impact of identity, performance pressure, and athletic culture

• How peer support and shared experience can unlock meaningful engagement in care

Drawing from lived experience, clinical expertise, and work with elite athletes across professional and collegiate levels, this episode offers an honest look at what’s working—and what still needs to change.

Part 2 will dive deeper into group therapy, practical strategies, and how to better engage athletes in mental health care.