Only 10% of all college athletes with known mental health conditions seek care from a mental health professional, according to a study done by the American College of Sports Medicine.
Elizabeth Lavin has recently been hired by Sacred Heart University as the athletics mental health counselor to combat the stigma surrounding mental health among student- athletes.
Lavin graduated from Long Island University where she was a student-athlete herself. She was part of the women’s volleyball team and after graduating, she combined her degree with her passion for sports.
“When the position opened, I was like this is taking my two worlds and combining it into one which is incredible,” said Lavin.
She works directly with the counseling department and the athletics department.
Jeffrey LaBella, Director of Counseling said, “We really did want to look for someone who has that experience of being a collegiate athlete and a combination of that experience and that of a professional counselor.”
Source: Contributed by Elizabeth Lavin
Source: Tracy Deer-Mirek, Sacred Heart University
Lavin hopes to make connections with each student-athlete. She has reached out to coaches and met with teams one-on-one to ensure everyone feels they have a safe space to talk about their concerns.
Rob Machan, Head Coach of Women’s Volleyball said, “It’s vital for the athletes to have a place to go. There are so many challenges that are unique to being a student athlete.” Lavin wants to give student-athletes hope, solutions, and strategies to get through situations.
“When I was in college I suffered with anxiety. I understand how that also affects a person just because my personal experience but the professional side as well,” said Lavin. Student-athletes can go to her for more than just athletic related obstacles to prevent transferring outside stress and anxiety onto their athletic performance.
Machan hopes Lavin helps student-athletes organize their thoughts and get comfortable with their responsibilities.
“I really appreciate the university recognizing the need to have someone,” said Machan.
“College isn’t where you go to find yourself, it’s where you decide who you are going to be. I think that’s kind of what the resources like her really help with.”
“At the end of the day, it’s really being able to help students meet their wellness goals, whatever that looks like,” said LaBella. “We want to help them be the best version of themselves.”
Lavin encourages students to reach out to her as she wishes she did when she was a student-athlete.
“I didn’t utilize the counseling services at my campus which I regret doing, so I feel like if I had, I would have enjoyed my experiences a lot more and not be so anxious about things,” said Lavin.
Machan hopes that student-athletes will utilize Lavin and reach out to her for support.
“To have someplace to go that’s just going to have an open mind and listen and get good advice, I can’t tell you how important it is,” said Machan.
