How therapy is helping athletes stay in the game

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Biles is not alone. Athletes worldwide, from elite professionals to emerging stars, face a constant battle beyond the physical demands of their sport—the battle for mental well-being. 

Stories from the front lines 

The mental health challenges faced by athletes are deeply personal, often hidden behind the veneer of strength and resilience. For Yuki Bhambri, an elite tennis player, the struggle became real following a severe knee injury. “The hardest phase for me was when I realised that my recovery wasn’t adequate to return to my singles career," he recalls. “I had to redefine my goals, and it affected my mental health. But I came out more resilient and adaptive." 

Similarly, Karman Kaur Thandi, a former #1 women’s tennis player in India, faced a gruelling battle with a lingering elbow injury. “The constant pain and uncertainty about my body’s ability to hold up made it difficult to focus and make decisions during matches. I started to doubt my abilities," she says. It wasn’t until she sought support from her family and the team at RoundGlass Sports, a sports talent development platform based in Faridabad that she began to regain her confidence and perspective.

These personal battles underscore a broader issue: the isolation many athletes feel when facing mental health challenges. “Athletes often feel lonely when struggling with mental health challenges," says Priyanka Prabhakar, a sports psychologist in Bengaluru. “They need to be reminded of the support they have and the strengths they possess to aid their mental health." 

The weight of expectations 

Athletes are not just competitors; they are performers on a global stage. The expectations placed on them are immense and come from every corner of their lives—coaches, parents, fans, sponsors, and themselves.  “Athletes operate in a high-pressure environment with a constant expectation to win," explains Prabhakar adding, “elite athletes face the fear of success and the fear of failure. It’s not always easy to stay at the top or defend a title, and the pressure can be traumatic." 

Dr. Purnima Siddhanta, a sports and exercise psychologist with RoundGlass Sports, notes that this pressure is unique to athletes. “Athletes often face immense internal conflicts related to their choices, such as concerns about their future and financial stability," she explains. “Their performance directly impacts their opportunities and self-worth." 

The stress of constant competition, the fear of injuries, and the struggle to meet self-imposed and external expectations can often lead to anxiety, depression, and burnout. In addition, athletes frequently contend with the intense scrutiny of social media. “Negative feedback and trolling from fans following a loss or poor performance can be highly distressing," Dr. Siddhanta adds. “The public scrutiny pushes athletes to alter their playing style, contributing to significant stress and motivational challenges."  

Athletes themselves echo these sentiments. Shubhankar Sharma, India’s highest-ranked pro-golfer, acknowledges the strain, “Mental health is central to an athlete’s performance. Living stresses multiply when added to the stress of sports performance. Yoga, meditation, and the support of my family and mental health coach have helped me handle most issues."  

Interventions that matter 

Recognising the mental health challenges faced by athletes, many sports organisations are beginning to build robust support systems. At RoundGlass Sports, for instance, mental well-being is integrated into athletes’ daily lives. “Our sports program includes sound meditation, Qigong, and movement meditation practices, alongside counselling and personalised plans," explains Dr. Siddhanta. “We aim to enable athletes to create their personal toolbox of well-being practices that supplement their sports training for holistic development." 

Other interventions include combining traditional methods like yoga, meditation and breathing practices with innovative approaches such as sound healing and localised therapies like fomentation and lymphatic drainage. One such intervention helped an injured athlete recover physically and mentally, allowing them to return to competition with renewed vigour. 

Prabhakar emphasises the importance of visualising goals, changing negative beliefs to positive ones, and seeing situations from a different perspective as part of an effective mental health strategy. “I use a systemic family constellation approach, where athletes can rely on their parents and ancestors’ support to move through challenging situations," she explains. 

Kunashni Parikh, a clinical and sports psychologist from Mumbai, recalls working with an athlete struggling with anxiety. “Through counselling and cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), we were able to help the athlete understand the root cause of their problems, overcome self-esteem issues, and manage negative thought processes. The result was a complete transformation, with the athlete going on to become a national gold medallist." Parikh also highlights the importance of redefining mental health services as “performance coaching" or “mental conditioning" to reduce stigma and encourage athletes to seek help. 

Future steps 

Looking ahead, there is a clear shift towards making mental health a fundamental part of athletic training. Experts like Parikh advocate for early mental health training, starting at the grassroots level. “Mental training should begin right from children entering sports, so it becomes a natural part of their training," she argues. “This approach normalises mental health support and prevents issues from escalating." 

Dr. Siddhanta sees a future where sports academies and high-performance centres will support athletes’ 360-degree growth. “There will be a stronger emphasis on complementary therapies, culturally compatible care, and a more data-driven, integrated approach to mental health," she says. 

The evolving narrative around mental health in sports is a positive sign, but the journey is far from over. Athletes like Simone Biles, Yuki Bhambri, and many others are paving the way by speaking openly about their struggles, helping to break down the barriers of stigma. As awareness continues to grow, sports organisations can aim to build stronger, more inclusive support systems that address the unique challenges faced by athletes.

Divya Naik is a Mumbai-based journalist and writer. 

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