about us
Our Strategy
“Athletes and coaches face the same mental health risks as the general population. However, they are confronted by unique challenges that require a specialized mental health care approach.”
Who we are
We are a one-of-a-kind team offering specialized mental health care services that take into consideration both risk and protective factors related to sport, performance and overall life.
WHo we serve
We help competitive and high-performance athletes, performing artists, coaches, support staff, as well as the broader sport community, by creating long-lasting relationships that foster health and wellness.
what we believe
We believe that people can learn and succeed in life with and without mental illness and mental health challenges. We also believe that mental performance and psychologically healthy and safe cultures are key protective factors.
WHAT DRIVES US
We aim to reform perceptions of mental health and mental illness in sport through compelling practice, research, education, and outreach.
WHY WE SUCCEED
We use innovative, comprehensive, inclusive, and person-centered approaches to fulfill our diverse clientele's needs.
WHY OTHERS RECOMMEND US
We prioritize mental health, mental performance, and athletic performance in our education and treatment initiatives.
OUR VALUES
We Listen.
We Respect.
We Lead.
We Empower.
We Collaborate.
We Innovate.
We Believe.
We Challenge.
We Act.
“Our logo captures the spirit of our interdisciplinary team of leaders, the diverse mental health states that our clientele can experience, and the integrated mental health services we offer. It embodies unity, support, teamwork, continuity, and change. The colour gold in the logo represents compassion, courage, passion, wisdom, and success.”
Why We Exist
Below are reality checks that have led us to create the CCMHS. No one is immune to mental health challenges and mental illness, including athletes, coaches, performing artists, and support staff. The CCMHS has as its mandate to provide high quality and evidence-informed services and resources to clients in a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment.
MENTAL HEALTH IS NECESSARY TO SUSTAIN OPTIMAL PERFORMANCE
Mental health is necessary to sustain optimal performance. It influences people’s daily functioning, including their ability to effectively manage their thoughts, feelings, and behaviours to successfully execute tasks, meet performance goals, maintain healthy relationships, and meaningfully contribute to their sport community.
MENTAL HEALTH IS MORE THAN THE ABSENCE OF MENTAL ILLNESS
Mental health reflects more than simply the absence of mental illness. For example, individuals who do not have a mental illness do not necessarily experience high well-being. Conversely, those who have a mental illness do not inevitably experience low well-being. With adequate support and skills, people can optimally function and thrive, regardless of whether or not they have a mental illness.
MENTAL HEALTH AFFECTS EVERYONE, INCLUDING sport participants
Mental health affects everyone, and sport participants are not immune to this. In Canada, 1 in 5 people experience a major mental illness each year, which costs the Canadian health care system $50 billion annually. With 7.2 million Canadians regularly engaging in sport, there could be as many as 1.4 million athletes and coaches struggling with mental health challenges each year. We can no longer turn a blind eye to mental health issues in sport.
sport participants MAY FACE MORE MENTAL HEALTH CHALLENGES THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION
Competitive athletes, coaches, and staff may be more vulnerable to mental health challenges than the normal population due to the complex demands, high expectations, limited support, early specialization, and year-round training they often face. Other factors such as excessive pressure to succeed, debilitative coaching styles, lack of funding, overtraining, injury, and difficult transitions in, through, and out of sport can precipitate existing mental health challenges or trigger the development of new ones.
sport participants HAVE UNIQUE NEEDS THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED
Competitive sport is associated with unique requirements, including structured training programs, peaking and recovery periods, diets, interdisciplinary teams, cultural systems, and traveling regimens that require nuances in mental health care for athletes and coaches, which are irrelevant in the general population. For instance, certain medications can adversely affect performance. Also, food monitoring behaviours considered pathological in the general population are sometimes necessary in certain sports.
PERSONAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS OFTEN PREVENT sport participants FROM SEEKING HELP
The fear of being judged, labelled, devalued, misunderstood, and shunned often prevents athletes, coaches, and staff from seeking mental health services. Just as it is normal to get support for physical ailments, getting help for psychological challenges should be praised and valued in sport. We must normalize this because obtaining the right support strengthens individuals' ability to optimally function and meet performance and well-being goals.
CCMHS BROCHURE
For a summary of Who we Are, What we Do, Who we Serve, Our Standards of Care, Our Programs, and How to Contact Us, download the CCMHS brochure by clicking on the button below.
“I held my Olympic medal in my hands at the conclusion of the Olympic Games and felt worthless ... I later learned that there were a lot of reasons for this; a nagging depression I wasn’t quite ready to accept.”