#349 - Dr. Hillary Cauthen - Navigating the Dark Side of Athletics

Dr. Hillary Cauthen joins Something For Everybody this week. Dr. C is the Director at TOPPS & a Certified Mental Performance Consultant In this conversation, Dr. Hillary discusses the importance of creating a culture of care in sports, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in coaching. She highlights the darker aspects of sports, including mental health challenges faced by athletes, and the impact of specialization in youth sports. The discussion also covers the role of parents in supporting their children in sports and the significance of developing a competitive mindset. Dr. Hillary provides practical strategies for athletes to prepare mentally and physically for competition, underscoring the importance of self-reflection and connection in coaching. - Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction and Personal Check-In 02:24 Creating a Culture of Care in Sports 05:55 The Dark Side of Sports and Athlete Well-Being 10:03 Coaching with Care: Balancing Performance and Empathy 16:06 The Specialization Debate in Youth Sports 20:28 The Role of Parents in Youth Sports 26:05 Developing an Ideal Competitive Mindset 29:08 Preparation Strategies for Athletes 32:19 Superstitions and Rituals in Sports 33:32 Psychological Skills in Real-Time Performance 38:18 Identity Beyond Athletics 44:10 Understanding Mental Health and Emotional Expression 49:00 Navigating Emotions in Sports 52:57 The Role of Shit Talking in Sports 53:14 The Journey to Writing a Book on Trauma 01:00:00 The Evolution of Mental Health in Sports - See discounts for all the products I use and recommend: https://everybodyspod.com/deals/ - Shop For Everybody Use code SFE10 for 10% OFF 👉 https://shopforeverybody.com/ - AMARE GLOBAL: The Mental Wellness Company – On a mission to create a holistic mental wellness platform of products, programs, and people. Go to https://www.amare.com/155249/en-us/ for $10 off your next order. (use code: EVERYBODY) - Hillary’s Links: Website: https://www.txopps.com/meet-our-team iG: https://www.instagram.com/drcmindset/ - Get my free guide of 4 things to quit to transform your life here: https://aaronmachbitz.com/quit/ - To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/AaronMachbitz (Recorded on January 24th, 2025) Edited by Ben Rogerson (@BenRogerson_) Intro music by Residual Audio (Residualaudio.com) - Episodes You Might Enjoy: #320 - Exploring Youth Identity, Gender Affirming Care & Mental Health - Sasha Ayad, LPC https://everybodyspod.com/ayad/ #338 - How to Create a Life You Are Excited About - Joanna Horton McPherson https://everybodyspod.com/joanna/ - Get in touch: iG: https://www.instagram.com/AaronMachbitz X: https://x.com/AaronMachbitz Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AMachbitz/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AaronMachbitz Email: https://www.aaronmachbitz.com/contact/