Peak Sports Psychiatry Podcast

Behind the Championship: Sports Psychiatry with Dr. Derek Suite

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.

You’re Not Alone: The Power of Group Therapy in Sports | All Points North (Part 2)

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

Breaking Barriers in Athlete Mental Health (Part 1) | ft. All Points North

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.

Eating Disorders in Sport | REDs, Sport Culture, and Recovery

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/ [https://mindbodyendurance.com/sport-psychology/eating-disorders-in-sport-annual-workshop-26/]

How Sports Media Shapes Athlete Mental Health (with Celia Kohl, Versant)

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. _____________ 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.