As a part of The Big West’s virtual development series, Rachael Flatt led a Mental Health 101 workshop for Big West student-athletes, staff, and administrators last week. Ms. Flatt is currently a psychiatry resident at Duke but shares past experiences as a Team USA figure skater, and USCAH advisor panel member.  

Flatt discussed many mental health topics and emphasized its importance in sports. Flatt went on to highlight the prevalence and significance of mental well-being concerns among college students, the importance of mental wellness, and the need for professional care when facing a mental health crisis. 

 The conversation also brought awareness to common symptoms of mental health concerns, the impacts of depression, eating disorders, and risk factors while emphasizing the need to create a positive and inclusive culture around mental health and the need to remove barriers to accessing treatment. 

Access to the full webinar can be found here. 

 “I had the wonderful opportunity to speak with several Big West student-athlete representatives about symptoms of and treatment for mental health concerns and how to foster change in the culture around mental health in sport,” said Flatt. “Being a retired athlete myself, I recognize the importance of mental health to living a full life and performing on and off the field. Clearly, the student-athletes present for the webinar shared that perspective and were excited to see this topic addressed!”  

Stay tuned for more regarding future offerings to participate, learn, and grow with our Big West family through Student-Athlete Programming Webinars.