Mental Health Realities for Elite Athletes with Courtney Messina

Athlete Mindset

Welcome to the Athlete Mindset podcast, hosted by Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC. In this episode, Lisa sits down with Courtney Messina, MA, LPC-S, LCDC, a former Ole Miss soccer athlete, and Senior Director for Outpatient Clinical Operations at All Points North (APN). Courtney shares insights from her work with elite athletes, including her role at APN’s Elite Athletes Program and as a visiting therapist at TCU. They explore why athletes seek therapy—sports injuries, identity struggles, mental performance, and more—while unpacking the unique challenges of transitioning out of sport. From practical tips like prioritizing sleep to society’s need to destigmatize mental health, this coffee-chat-style conversation offers hope and actionable insights.

Key Takeaways from "Mental Health Realities for Elite Athletes with Courtney Messina"

• Common struggles: Injuries, identity loss, and the relentless pressure to perform flawlessly.
• APN’s Elite Athletes Program: Residential care to virtual IOP, serving NFL players and expanding to other sports.
• Strategies: Reframing identity beyond sport, building resilience, and normalizing help-seeking behaviors.
• Society’s role: Prioritizing mental health as integral to overall health and reducing stigma.
• Sleep matters: How rest boosts focus, mood, and emotional regulation for peak performance.
• Injury impact: The loneliness and body image shifts that amplify mental health challenges.

More about Courtney Messina:
Courtney Messina, MA, LPC-S, LCDC, is the Senior Director for Outpatient Clinical Operations at All Points North, leveraging extensive experience in clinical leadership and behavioral health services.

After earning a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Mississippi and a master's in clinical Mental Health Counseling from the University of Texas at Tyler, Courtney has had the opportunity to work in various settings including community mental health, corrections and inpatient and outpatient facilities treating clients with co-occurring disorders.

Beyond her pursuits at All Points North and as a former Division I athlete at Ole Miss, Courtney is very passionate about working with the Athlete population. She is a visiting senior therapist for the Athletics Department at Texas Christian University and is listed in The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee Mental Health Registry.

Courtney has been featured in several media outlets, including Treatment Magazine, the Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Learning Network, The Dallas Morning News, and Genesis the Podcast.

Credits: Athlete Mindset is part of the SportsE Media platform.
Produced by KazCM and featured on the QuietLoud Studios podcast network.

Support the Athlete Mindset Community: Click Here to contribute to the Athlete Mindset Community.

By supporting the Athlete Mindset community, you will contribute directly to the mental health of athletes. With your amplification, we can ensure more voices are heard and more individuals are impacted. Thank You for making a difference!

Connect with the guest, host, and podcast production team:

• Courtney Messina: LinkedIn | website
• Lisa Bonta Sumii, LCSW, CMPC: LinkedIn | Instagram | website
• SportsE Media: LinkedIn | X

Related episodes to “Mental Health Realities for Elite Athletes with Courtney Messina”:

• Mental Strength with Dr. Brook Choulet
• The Intersection of Sports Psychiatry and Performance with Dr. Wilsa Charles Malveaux
• Understanding Athlete Identity with Kim Brady

Music: Beat Provided By freebeats.io | Produced By White Hot