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 sport, the same traits we celebrate such as discipline, drive, pain tolerance, and relentless pursuit of improvement can also increase vulnerability to disordered eating.

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn are joined by two leading experts in eating disorders in sport: Dr. Riley Nickols and Becca McConville.

Dr. Nickols is a sport and counseling psychologist, founder of MindBody Endurance, former director of the Victory Program, and a member of the USOPC REDs expert panel.
Becca McConville is a sports dietitian, eating disorder specialist, REDs expert, and consultant to professional, collegiate, and endurance athletes.

Together they explore the complex intersection of sport culture, performance pressure, and athlete mental health, and discuss how clinicians, coaches, and athletic departments can build environments where high performance and health coexist rather than compete.

Topics covered include:

• Why athletes are uniquely vulnerable to eating disorders• The role of perfectionism, sport culture, and social media• REDs (Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport) explained• Multidisciplinary treatment teams for athlete care• Safe return-to-sport decisions during recovery• Early warning signs coaches and clinicians often miss• How language and team culture influence athlete wellbeing

As Dr. Allen notes during the episode:

“High performance should never require self-destruction.”

Dr. Riley Nickols and Becca McConville host the 5th Annual Eating Disorders in Sport Conference: A Treatment Playbook for Providers.

📅 July 31, 2026🎯 Theme: Treating the Adolescent and Young Adult Athlete📍 Virtual conference with continuing education available

Peak Sports Psychiatry listeners receive 20% off registration.

Use promo code: Peak20

Register here:
https://mindbodyendurance.com/sport-psychology/eating-disorders-in-sport-annual-workshop-26/

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 episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen is joined by co-host Tim Maher for a thoughtful conversation with Celia Kohl, Senior Vice President of Strategy & Business Development at Versant and former NBC Sports executive.

Celia brings a rare dual lens to the discussion: she’s both a media leader shaping how millions of fans experience sports — and a former elite athlete (Harvard rowing, Junior National Team) who understands firsthand the mental demands of high performance.

Together, they explore:

• What rowing taught her about pressure, resilience, and shared responsibility

• The emotional adjustment many college athletes experience — especially during freshman year

• How sports storytelling influences public perception of athletes

• The behind-the-scenes role media rights and platform strategy play in shaping narratives

• Why golf may be one of the purest laboratories for understanding self-talk, frustration, and expectations

• How sports media can move from crisis-driven coverage to proactive normalization of mental health

This episode dives into leadership, culture, performance, and the evolving role of media in shaping how we understand athlete well-being.

Whether you're an athlete, clinician, executive, or fan, this conversation highlights where sports, strategy, and mental health intersect.

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This episode is brought to you by 43 Degree Sports, creators of a temperature-controlled hockey bag that kills up to 96% of harmful bacteria — helping athletes recover cleaner and perform better.

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.)

If you want better outcomes in mental health, you don’t start in crisis — you start upstream.

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, we’re joined by Dr. Anthony Lyssy, a concierge and functional primary care physician who has built his practice around proactive, preventative, and performance-oriented care for high performers, including elite athletes and executives.

We explore why primary care is where mental health conversations actually turn into action — and how process, personalization, and purpose (“the why”) matter far more than reactive, box-checking medicine.

Topics we cover include:

• Why primary care is the true front line of mental and performance health

• The “knowing vs doing” gap — and how to bridge it

• Process-oriented care vs outcome-only thinking

• Using data and wearables wisely (and when to step back)

• Healthspan, longevity, and getting 1% better over time

• How primary care, psychiatry, psychology, and performance teams work best together

• Lessons from elite golfers on discomfort, resilience, and grace

This conversation is for athletes, clinicians, leaders, and anyone interested in what healthcare should look like when it’s done well — upstream, relational, and human.

Sponsored by 43 Degree Sports
Changing the game in athlete hygiene with temperature-controlled gear technology trusted by pros and parents across North America.

🎧 Subscribe, rate, and share if this episode resonates.

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.)

In this episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, we’re joined by Rob Thorson, Executive Director of Shoulder Check and the #HT40 Foundation, for a moving conversation about turning loss into action — and why prevention starts with everyday human connection.

After losing his son Hayden in 2022, Rob helped launch Shoulder Check, a movement built on a simple but powerful idea:

Reach out. Check in. Make contact.

Rather than focusing only on awareness, Shoulder Check emphasizes behavior change — empowering teammates, peers, students, coaches, and communities to connect early, often, and authentically.

• The origin of Shoulder Check and the meaning behind HT40

• Why peer-to-peer connection is critical in suicide prevention

• How teams and schools can bring this message to life on the ground

• The story behind the powerful “Lean On Me” arena moment

• Why everyone is qualified to help — not just professionals

🔗 Learn more: shouldercheck.org
📅 July 30 — Shoulder Check Showcase (Sacred Heart University)

🎧 Episode sponsor: 43 Degree Sports — creators of a temperature-controlled hockey bag designed to keep gear clean and game-ready.

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.).

Rise. Fall. Recovery. Purpose After Sport.

In this powerful episode of the Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast, Dr. Mark Allen and Dr. Tommy Horn sit down with Montee Ball — former Denver Bronco, Wisconsin Badgers legend, Heisman finalist, and College Football Hall of Fame inductee — for one of the most honest conversations we’ve ever had on the show.

Montee shares his full story, including the parts rarely discussed publicly:

• The pressure and flow state of elite performance

• Identity loss when the game ends

• Alcohol use, denial, and hitting rock bottom

• Legal consequences, accountability, and treatment

• Recovery, fatherhood, and rebuilding a life rooted in service

This episode goes far beyond football. It’s about what happens after the cheering stops — and how athletes, especially young athletes, can be supported before they reach a breaking point.

Montee also discusses:

• His recovery journey and 10+ years of sobriety

• Fatherhood and how becoming a dad changed everything

• His work in mental health advocacy and community service

• Launching the Game Plan Life Foundation to bridge athletes with mental health resources

Dr. Allen and Dr. Horn explore the mental health landscape in college and professional sports, stigma in locker rooms, why performance and mental health are inseparable, and how earlier intervention could change outcomes for countless athletes.

This is a conversation about accountability, resilience, second chances — and turning pain into purpose.
📌 Subscribe for more conversations at the intersection of sports, mental health, and performance

Presented by 43 Degree Sports
Changing the game in athlete hygiene with temperature-controlled technology trusted by pros and parents across North America.

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.