Athletes Connected Welcomes U-M School of Social Work

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By Jeremy Fallis, Marketing Communications Specialist, U-M Depression Center

The Athletes Connected program is proud to announce new collaborative partner, the University of Michigan School of Social Work. Athletes Connected continues to be supported by the U-M Athletic Department, the U-M Depression Center.

As part of the new partnership, the research component of Athletes Connected will be conducted out of the School of Social Work. Leading that charge will be Abigail Eiler, LMSW, QMHP, clinical assistant professor and the director of the U-M Athletics Counseling Team.

Athletes Connected thanks its past research partner, the U-M School of Public Health, for its committed work in athlete mental health.

Moreover, as announced in the Summer 2020 newsletter, the program wishes Dr. Daniel Eisenberg and his family well at UCLA. Dr. Eisenberg has served as faculty Principal Investigator leading the scientific evaluation of the program’s effectiveness. Dr. Eisenberg was the Co-Principal Investigator when Athletes Connected was established by pilot funding from an NCAA Innovations in Research and Practice Grant in 2014.

The Unavoidable Worry of the Unknown

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Athletes Connected continues its resource stories for athletes coping during the COVID-19 pandemic. This story is about dealing with worry, stress and anxiety due to a postponed season.

By Rachel Amity, MSW, Athletes Connected Program Coordinator

Worry and stress have been seemingly unavoidable in recent months. For many of us, it may feel like there are considerably more unknowns than we are used to in the current coronavirus pandemic.

We may typically feel anxiety about an upcoming exam, a first date, a big game, or what we’re going to do after graduation.

when we worry excessively, or have chronic anxiety, we may start to over-contemplate worst case scenarios. When our worry is excessive or we find ourselves jumping to these conclusions, the worry can stop being useful.

These days, there are added stressors such as postponed seasons, financial impacts due to the pandemic, and stress from isolation and social distancing.

Though these situations are all different and may cause different levels of anxiety, they all have something in common: the outcomes are unknown. By nature, worry and anxiety are future-oriented states. Stress and worry can be useful by helping us prepare; they allow us to consider possible outcomes and consequences, can motivate us, and can signal that something doesn’t feel right.

Nevertheless, when we worry excessively, or have chronic anxiety, we may start to over-contemplate worst case scenarios. When our worry is excessive or we find ourselves jumping to these conclusions, the worry can stop being useful. Below are some questions to consider to help determine whether your worry is useful, or if it is only serving to increase anxiety levels.

Think of a situation that is causing you anxiety. Ask yourself:

  1. What is the best case scenario in this situation?
    1. Some of us are experts in identifying the worst case scenario, so much so that we can forget to consider what other possibilities are. Approach this from a perspective in which the best case scenario is equally as probable as the worst case scenario.
  2. What is the worst case scenario?
    1. This might be the easiest response to come up with. Our brains can be pretty good at this one, especially when we’re already anxious about the outcome. 
  3. What’s the most likely scenario? 
    1. In many cases, things fall somewhere between best and worst. For example, if you are nervous about an exam, the most likely scenario may be that you get a B-. Not an A (the best case), but also not a failing grade (the worst case). 

Now that you have considered each of these questions, let’s revisit the worst case scenario. In the event that this comes true, what would you do to cope with it?  What tools do you have to deal with this? Where or who do you go to for support? 

Have there been times in the past that things didn’t go as you hoped or planned? How did you manage those situations? 

Example scenarios:

Let’s consider the scenario that your season is postponed. Every person will react differently to the same situation. One person may approach that situation from this perspective:

Best case scenario:
My season is postponed for now. I’m upset, but I recognize my teammates and I won’t have to worry about traveling and getting infected. In the best case scenario, we will still get to spend time together as a team, socializing and staying in shape, and we still have hope of possibly playing in the spring instead of in the Fall. 

Worst case scenario:
My season is canceled, I’m devastated, and I feel like I have lost my sense of purpose on campus. I won’t be able to access training facilities and I won’t be able to see my teammates and/or my family as much as I want to. This cancellation also means I might not get a chance to compete at this level again.

Most likely:
My season is postponed, and I’ll be really sad, maybe even angry. It will be difficult for me to figure out how to spend all of my time and to be without the same training regimen and competitions, but I have been coping with the pandemic throughout the spring and summer so far, so I will be OK. I will also be able to dedicate more time to my classes this semester, and I’ll have more free time to explore other interests that I have not had time for because of sport. 

If the worst case does come true, I know I can talk to my athletic trainer and my strength and conditioning coach to help me come up with a plan to keep me as fit as I can in the circumstances. I also know I can talk to my family, friends, and roommates when I’m feeling stressed, especially because I’m pretty sure most of my teammates will feel similarly.

Another person may approach the same situation from this perspective:

Best case scenario:
My season is postponed and I’m relieved. I have been experiencing significant anxiety about competing this season, and honestly I feel more comfortable knowing I won’t be playing. Of course, I am still disappointed about missing a season, but I will be less stressed not competing than competing. I am also looking forward to being able to focus on academics more since this year is going to be tough academically.

Worst case scenario:
My season is canceled and I am relieved at first, but it ends up being harder than I think it will. In the worst case scenario, I worry that the relief will wear off and I will be very upset and end up out of shape by the time I need to compete again. I also worry about expressing my relief to teammates and coaches who I know want to play this season.

Most likely:
Chances are it will be a mix of both of these. I will probably feel relieved, but it will probably also be difficult and sad, especially since I know some of my teammates will be very upset about the season being postponed. My academics may benefit from more time, but it will be a transition since I’m not used to that sort of schedule – although I did get some practice with it in the spring and it turned out OK.

If the worst case does come true, I will rely on my teammates because I know that they will feel similarly. I know I can talk to my family and my athletic counselor about my concerns as well. I will also keep using the Calm app and listening to music in moments where I feel worried or upset.

As you can see from these two examples, there are common themes and feelings, but the exact best and worst case scenarios are noticeably different, as are each person’s coping skills and tools.

It’s important to remember that, even in the exact same situation, people will respond and react differently.

We can’t always control the situations causing us to worry, the outcomes, or how other people respond–in fact, not being in control is often why we’re worrying. But, we can control how we respond to situations. 

Additional Resources:

About the Author
Rachel Amity is the Athletes Connected program coordinator and a member of the U-M Athletic Counseling Team. Previously, she worked as the MSW intern with the athletic department. Rachel is originally from Corvallis, Oregon, where she grew up playing soccer, volleyball, and lacrosse. She graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a Bachelor’s in Psychology, where she also worked as a student athletic trainer.

NWI.com: Routine needed in times that are anything but

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NWI.com sports medicine columnist John Doherty wrote a piece about how routine is needed during the COVID-19 pandemic. He spoke with Athletes Connected’s Will Heininger for this story about the program, his journey, and advice for those seeking a routine.

By John Doherty

Michigan football fans may remember Will Heininger. A defensive tackle for the Wolverines, he was a four-time Academic All-Big-Ten winner and Distinguished Scholar, who graduated in 2011.

I interviewed him two years later at NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis following a press conference sponsored by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association regarding mental health in college athletics. Heininger was the final speaker to come to the podium that day — to give a face to the problem.

His was a face and story you might not expect.

Near the end of his freshman year, his parents divorced and Heininger went into a deep depression. Initially, he shared his pain with nobody, except his mother.

One day at the end of a practice, though, Wolverine athletic trainer Lenny Navitskis noticed Heininger with tears in his eyes for no apparent reason. Navitskis pulled the athlete aside and asked what was going on. When given an answer, he immediately took Heininger to the office of athletic department social worker Barb Hansen.

“As athletes, we are so accustomed to routine. A lot of student-athletes thrive on the regulation that comes with that routine. Everyone is dealing with the (current) uncertainty and we deal with that in different ways, whether you are a senior and unsure whether you are ever going to get to compete again or if you are a freshman and this is not the experience you anticipated coming in.” — Will Heininger

“(Her) office was in the football building where I spent the majority of my life,” said Heininger, “and I had never known it. A combination of good therapy from Barb, the right medicine, and love from family and friends helped me climb out from the depths of this horrible disease.”

The appearance in Indianapolis was a life-changing moment for Heininger. He had spoken about his struggles publicly only two or three times previously but at NCAA headquarters, it was the first time with any media present. As a result, it was also the first time many of his former teammates learned of his difficulties.

Shortly thereafter, the University of Michigan Depression Center successfully applied for an NCAA grant. It was intended to improve mental health among student athletes.

“I got a call from them and they asked if I wanted to come work on this project,” Heininger told me earlier this month. “At the same time, I was talking to (then football) coach Brady Hoke and about coming back and helping out with the staff a little bit there. So, I left Chicago in 2014. The first year, I did a split of football and working on this program that would become Athletes Connected, eventually. I have since moved into working more with the Depression Center and working more on outreach and education programing.”

The Athletes Connected program is, according to its website, “a unique collaboration between the University of Michigan School of Public Health, Depression Center, and Athletic Department to increase awareness of mental health issues, reduce the stigma of help-seeking, and promote positive coping skills among student athletes.”

With all the uncertainty they are currently facing, athletes need positive coping skills more than ever. In the pre-COVID-19 world, Heininger reported, 25-33% of athletes could be expected to experience a mental health issue at some point in their college career. It is reasonable to expect even higher numbers now.

“As athletes, we are so accustomed to routine,” Heininger said. “A lot of student-athletes thrive on the regulation that comes with that routine. Everyone is dealing with the (current) uncertainty and we deal with that in different ways, whether you are a senior and unsure whether you are ever going to get to compete again or if you are a freshman and this is not the experience you anticipated coming in.”

Read the rest of the story on nwitimes.com.

Eiler Makes Guest Appearance on The Mental Minute Podcast

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U-M Athletics Counseling Team director and U-M School of Social Work clinical assistant professor Abigail Eiler, LMSW, was the June guest on The Mental Minute by Michigan Medicine. The Mental Minute is a podcast produced by the U-M Depression Center and hosted by UMDC education and outreach coordinator Will Heininger. Both Eiler and Heininger work extensively on the Athletes Connected project.

Abigail Eiler, LMSW — Clinical Assistant Professor, U-M School of Social Work, Director of U-M Athletics Counseling Team

The Mental Minute with Michigan Medicine; ABIGAIL EILER, LMSW

From Agony to Leadership: A Journey to Help Others

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By Sydney Wetterstrom, Outside Hitter, U-M Volleyball

During my time at Michigan I was surrounded by amazing athletes, students and leaders. Some were All-Americans or academic weapons, but most were just really pleasant people you wanted to surround yourself with.

Looking back now, that makes sense because the University of Michigan is known for bringing together and building the “leaders and best.”

The adjustment from high school to college can be a difficult transition for some athletes, especially at Michigan where we have come from being big fish in a small pond throughout high school to becoming a small fish in an ocean. This can be overwhelming, stressful and frustrating. For me personally, I stumbled, tumbled and fell hard. Very, very hard.

I ignored my stress, picked up poor coping strategies and reverted back to bad habits. My stress became a distraction and interfered with my performance on the court.

It was scary, but getting my diagnosis was the first time I did not feel like my feet were dragging cement blocks.

One day in a pre-practice session with my volunteer assistant coach, I broke down crying. An utterly beautiful mess of tears and snot came running down my cheeks and nose. She comforted me and recommended I use the resources provided by the Athletics Counseling Team (ACT).

But I did not listen to her advice.

I felt ashamed and embarrassed. I remember telling myself, “This is so silly, nothing is wrong with me. I am in the best shape of my life,” yet I still felt incomplete, broken and lost. I was so far in denial that it was not until I attempted to take my own life, did I get the help I needed.

Even then I was still against seeking help. It was not until a teammate said “If you do not get help for yourself, get help for me because I am worried for you.” I was hospitalized and treated for severe anxiety and major depressive disorder.

It was scary, but getting my diagnosis was the first time I did not feel like my feet were dragging cement blocks. Truth had lifted the 200 pounds of denial off my shoulders. I had no idea that the reason I had been feeling so poorly was because of my mental health.

I was honest with my coaches and created an open dialogue with my teammates. I let those around me know that I had been struggling with mental health.

I soon realized that many of my peers had faced challenges with mental health, too. This made me realize the importance of mental health, but also the stigma that comes along with it.

I wondered how many other people had been in my shoes? Who felt embarrassed, shameful and nervous for reaching out for issues related to their mental health? Who else had felt the fear of judgement, or felt that it was a sign of weakness?

All of these thoughts and experiences led me to the belief that it is necessary for all student-athletes to be comfortable asking for help before it is too late.

Mental health is equally as important as physical health. Through the resources in the athletic department, I found it not only easier for student-athletes to receive care for mental health, but also found it easier to remove the negative bias surrounding it. Supporting someone in their time of need, whether it is a sprained ankle or anxiety, is the only way a student-athlete will return to the competition in a timely manner.

My experiences showed me that support will enable an individual to feel confident and comfortable. This confidence and comfort will launch them into success. When someone feels supported they are more likely to succeed.

When someone feels supported they are more likely to succeed. I found community and support to be critical on and off the court

I found community and support to be critical on and off the court. With the help of numerous peers I was able to participate in and create a number of student-athlete organizations within athletics.

During my junior year, I created Student-Athlete Sexual Health (SASH) with fellow student-athlete Sam Roy, who is a member of the women’s gymnastics team. With the endorsement from the ACT, Sam and I established a support group for survivors of sexual assault. Individuals were provided a safe and confidential place to discuss their own personal story with emphasis on rebuilding and healing post-sexual trauma(s); along with ACT’s Abigail Eiler, we thoughtfully identified resources and skill-building activities focused on improving our overall health and wellness across each domain of our lives.

Sam and I were also both members of SAAC, and were the heads of the mental health subcommittee our senior year. As mental health liaisons, and with the help of the ACT, we had Athlete Ally come in for a two-day training with staff, coaches and student-athletes.

Athlete Ally is a nonprofit that advocates for the LGBTQ+ community in athletics. After the onsite training and student-athlete feedback, we structured an Athlete Ally chapter on campus, which has become a place for students that are a part of the LGBTQ+ community and allies to come together and support one another. The group is making strides to remove the stigma surrounding LGBTQ+ athletes in sport.

My way of leading this was to make sure everyone felt included and unconditionally loved and accepted. Additionally, as the mental health liaisons, Sam and I coordinated a mental health public service announcement to be displayed at all sporting events. I believe athletes can perform at their highest level when they feel comfortable in their own skin!

I plan to attend Florida State in the fall of 2020 to pursue a Master in Social Work (MSW). There, I hope to continue to break down the barriers that surround mental health.

Once I have attained my degree, I hope to implement SASH programs across the country at universities designated for student-athlete survivors of sexual abuse.

Currently, Sam and I are working towards establishing SASH as a nonprofit organization. We have also created a workbook for individuals or groups to use. My dream is for SASH resources to be utilized by survivors at all schools that have NCAA sports, in order to ensure they feel supported and to assist them in their healing journey.

Know that everyone is trying their best. Support your teammates and let them support you. We all have faced adversity.

Consequently, when a hand is reached out to pull you up, take it. It only makes challenges easier. Being a leader means to care for yourself and those around you genuinely; it means being the one to reach out to help pull others up, but also asking for help when you need it.

About the Author
Sydney Wetterstrom was a four-year letterwinner for the U-M women’s volleyball team. Wetterstrom garnered three Academic All-Big Ten nods and started all 32 matches her senior year in 2019. Wetterstrom graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in exercise science and Spanish. She is set to begin work on a Master of Social Work degree at Florida State in fall 2020 where she will compete on the beach volleyball team.