SHU Boosts Mental Health in Athletic Training Program
Augmented athletic training component puts SHU on the vanguard of national mental health conversation
Sacred Heart University’s master’s program in athletic training (AT) program, the first of its kind in Connecticut, has enhanced its mental health curriculum to address the national conversation around psychology and the mind of an athlete.
The robust mental health component means students who complete the program will receive a master’s degree and certification in Mental Health First Aid, said Program Director Stephanie Clines, who leads the program through SHU’s College of Health Professions (CHP).
Candidates for the AT master’s degree receive training in general mental health issues along with sports-specific mental health needs and the psycho-social aspects of being an athlete, Clines said. The comprehensive curriculum covers common issues, such as dealing with injuries, the threat of addiction to opioids and other pain medications, performance anxiety and stress, and screening for eating disorders and body image challenges.
“They learn how to work with athletes and the mental health issues they face,” Clines said. “Being an athlete is a big part of that person’s life, of their identity. If an injury puts them on the sidelines, that can create a big hole in their lives.”
The AT master’s program is based on a strong, science-oriented core curriculum that prepares students through traditional coursework, problem-based learning practicums and clinical experience. They graduate with a deep knowledge base for work as an athletic trainer and the ability to work with a diverse population of physically active individuals.
Many graduates have worked with college-age and high school populations. The enhanced mental health training, which also will be shared with faculty and student advisors, will best prepare graduates for the type of settings they will encounter in their careers, Clines said.
The robust training is in line with the national conversation about athletes and mental health spurred, in part, by highly publicized occurrences, such as U.S. gymnast Simone Biles withdrawing from much of last summer’s Tokyo Olympics. Tennis champion Naomi Osaka has said she’s had “long bouts of depression,” and basketball star Kevin Love often shares stories of his struggles with depression and anxiety to help eradicate the stigma of mental illness in athletics.
The new AT curriculum is also in line with SHU’s overall push to identify and address mental health issues, said CHP Dean Maura Daly Iversen. SHU recently announced a campus-wide mental health coalition and will embark on a comprehensive needs study to assess and enhance its wide-ranging student wellness programming.
The University is partnering with The Jed Foundation (JED), a nationwide initiative that guides schools through a collaborative process of systems, programs and policy development. It includes customized support to build upon existing efforts to address student mental health, substance misuse and suicide.
“This is one of the ways in which SHU is ahead of the curve in preparing our graduates for their future careers and the profession’s needs,” said Iversen. “We have a strong foundation, and we are always building on it.”
Photo: Professor Stephanie Clines, right, teaches graduate athletic training students how to administer NARCAN as part of the Mental Health First Aid program. From left are Professor Shawn McNamara, AT graduate students Nathayla Escalante, Jada Grant, Gessica Mongelli, Adam Vandermolen, Brett Butler and Clines.