FOR ATHLETIC PROGRAMS AND REFERRAL PARTNERS
Clinical mental health support
built for athletes.
Montgomery Counseling & Wellness partners with athletic programs, sports medicine staff, and coaches across Illinois to provide specialized mental health care for athletes. If you work with athletes and are looking for a trusted clinical referral, this page is for you.
WHO I WORK WITH
Athletes who are high-functioning on the outside and struggling on the inside.
The athletes I work with are often the last ones anyone would expect to need support. They show up, they compete, they push through. But underneath, anxiety, perfectionism, overcontrol, fear of failure, identity questions, and emotional exhaustion are quietly taking a toll. These athletes don't always fit the profile of someone in crisis. But they are struggling, and they deserve support that understands the athletic context.
Anxiety & Perfectionism
Performance anxiety, fear of failure, compulsive preparation, and the relentless inner critic that never lets an athlete feel good enough.
Sport Identity & Transition
Who am I if I'm not an athlete? Injury, retirement, and major transitions that shake an athlete's sense of self.
Overcontrol & Rigidity
The high-achieving athlete whose need to control outcomes, avoid mistakes, and maintain emotional composure is quietly costing them connection, flexibility, and joy.
Emotional Masking
Athletes trained to perform, suppress emotions, and push through who have lost touch with their inner life and don't know how to ask for help.
Return to Sport
The psychological side of injury recovery: fear of re-injury, loss of confidence, and the identity disruption that often accompanies being sidelined.
Burnout & Overtraining
Athletes who have given everything and are running on empty; they are exhausted, disconnected, and wondering why they don't love the sport anymore.
CLINICAL APPROACH
Evidence-based. Athlete-informed.
I use two of the most well-researched therapeutic approaches available: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO DBT). Together, they address the full range of challenges athletes face: from anxiety and avoidance to perfectionism, overcontrol, and emotional masking.
ACT
Builds psychological flexibility — the ability to carry difficult thoughts and feelings without being controlled by them, while moving toward what matters most. Practical, skills-based, and grounded in research.
RO DBT
Targets overcontrol, perfectionism, and emotional masking — patterns that are especially common in high-level athletes and that standard therapy often misses entirely. One of the rarest clinical specializations in Illinois.
PRACTICAL INFORMATION
What referral looks like
TELEHEALTH
SCHEDULING
All sessions are virtual, which means I can work with any athlete in Illinois, regardless of their campus, travel schedule, or location.
I work around athletic schedules. Sessions can be arranged outside of practice, competition, and travel windows.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All clinical relationships are confidential. I do not share information with coaching staff, athletic departments, or programs without explicit written consent.
FREE CONSULTATION
Athletes receive a free 15-minute consultation before committing to anything so they can make sure it feels like the right fit.