#349 - Dr. Hillary Cauthen - Navigating the Dark Side of Athletics

Author: Aaron Machbitz
Published: Tue 18 Mar 2025
Episode Link: https://JaxonStone.podbean.com/e/349-dr-hillary-cauthen-navigating-the-dark-side-of-athletics/

Dr. Hillary Cauthen joins Something For Everybody this week. Dr. C is the Director at TOPPS & a Certified Mental Performance Consultant

In this conversation, Dr. Hillary discusses the importance of creating a culture of care in sports, emphasizing the need for empathy and understanding in coaching. She highlights the darker aspects of sports, including mental health challenges faced by athletes, and the impact of specialization in youth sports. The discussion also covers the role of parents in supporting their children in sports and the significance of developing a competitive mindset. Dr. Hillary provides practical strategies for athletes to prepare mentally and physically for competition, underscoring the importance of self-reflection and connection in coaching.

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction and Personal Check-In

02:24 Creating a Culture of Care in Sports

05:55 The Dark Side of Sports and Athlete Well-Being

10:03 Coaching with Care: Balancing Performance and Empathy

16:06 The Specialization Debate in Youth Sports

20:28 The Role of Parents in Youth Sports

26:05 Developing an Ideal Competitive Mindset

29:08 Preparation Strategies for Athletes

32:19 Superstitions and Rituals in Sports

33:32 Psychological Skills in Real-Time Performance

38:18 Identity Beyond Athletics

44:10 Understanding Mental Health and Emotional Expression

49:00 Navigating Emotions in Sports

52:57 The Role of Shit Talking in Sports

53:14 The Journey to Writing a Book on Trauma

01:00:00 The Evolution of Mental Health in Sports

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Hillary’s Links:

Website: https://www.txopps.com/meet-our-team

iG: https://www.instagram.com/drcmindset/

Get my free guide of 4 things to quit to transform your life here: https://aaronmachbitz.com/quit/

To support me on Patreon (thank you): https://www.patreon.com/AaronMachbitz

(Recorded on January 24th, 2025)

Edited by Ben Rogerson (@BenRogerson_)

Intro music by Residual Audio (Residualaudio.com)

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