Regardless of their greatness on or off the ice, athletes are working on more than their physical well-being. They are also attempting to improve their mental health.

Dr. Kurt Ela, a licensed clinical psychologist and assistant professor in the outpatient programs at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital, told WTOP that it is crucial to discuss mental health in all avenues, including sports, as the struggles remain and the consequences may be dire.

“I do think it’s a universal challenge,” Ela said. “Mental health can affect the young, it can affect the old, it can affect everyone.”

Ela, who also serves as the Washington Capitals’ therapist, will join a panel on athletes’ mental health following a special screening of “Shattered Ice” on Sunday, March 8, at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre in Northwest, D.C. The film centers on a teenage hockey player navigating life after his best friend and the team’s best player dies by suicide.

Films like “Shattered Ice” are important for spreading the message about mental health awareness, Ela said. However, its messaging can resonate better with younger audiences and connect on a personal level versus talking to a professional.

“There’s still a taboo around suicide and around mental illness,” he said. “A film like this really gets the word out that it’s not only OK to talk about mental health, but it’s crucial.”

‘They’re not alone’

Ela said the numbers show that the United States is dealing with “a mental health crisis.”

According to a 2023 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, two in 10 high school students seriously contemplated suicide, while 40% had “persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness.”

“We’re talking big numbers,” Ela said. “Most of our youth are really struggling right now.”

Sports are slowly getting better at discussing mental health topics, Ela said. Multiple athletes, including basketball star Kyrie Irving, gymnast Simone Biles and figure skater Ilia Malinin, have spoken about their struggles in the spotlight of their respective fields.

Despite some advances, mental health struggles remain underreported overall, Ela said. One common thread among most people, including athletes, dealing with mental health problems is a reluctance to admit when they are struggling.

“They think that, ‘well, if I keep working hard, if I keep pushing through, if I keep winning or keep scoring goals,’ or whatever their sport is, that everything is going to be OK,” Ela said.

“They lose sight of the bigger picture that they’d actually play much better, they’d function much, much better if they were happier and really enjoying their sport and their lives.”

Other common signs some athletes display include being hard on themselves, withdrawing from teammates, being self-critical, not getting enough sleep and not eating enough.

“When that starts to happen, we start to worry that their mental health is really deteriorating, and they may not be doing very well from a wellness standpoint,” Ela said.

Practicing mindfulness strategies

Athletes with healthy mental states can recalibrate and focus on becoming the best athletes they can be, Ela said. That can be learned through mindfulness strategies that emphasize reflection and learning from each experience. That ability to reflect also allows them to focus on their sport and their relationships off the field.

“They do have emotions, of course, and they might be anxious before games, just like any of us, but they’re able to really put it in perspective,” Ela said. “They’re able to see the anxiety as probably excitement that they want to do well and that it’s motivating for them, as opposed to something that can hold them back.”

For adults dealing with young athletes, Ela recommended being patient and consistently asking how they are doing. Their demanding schedules, filled with practices and competitions, may not be as easy for them to handle. When someone is going through an injury, practicing mindfulness strategies and avoiding negative self-talk will keep the recovery process on track.

The key, Ela said, is to talk about it.

“I think a lot of people still feel that they want to white-knuckle through this, or that it’s going to get better magically on its own,” he said. “The truth of the matter is it can get better, and there is a lot of help available, but you have to work at it, and you have to find support when you need it, and that’s a good thing.”

The most important thing for anybody, not just athletes, to understand is that they are not alone when struggling with mental health. Ela said the hope is they have a trusted friend or someone they can depend on to talk to. If not, getting help from a professional or calling a crisis hotline are options if they don’t feel safe talking to anyone.

“Athletes struggle with mental health concerns. We all struggle with mental health concerns,” Ela said. “It’s important that people know that they’re not alone, and to know that there’s help available, that no one has to go through mental health challenges alone.”

If you or someone you know needs help, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.

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The executive director of the National Symphony Orchestra (NSO), a mainstay at the Kennedy Center, is leaving to head the Los Angeles-based Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts. It’s the latest departure from the Kennedy Center since President Donald Trump began asserting control over the storied performing arts venue in Washington, D.C.

The Wallis announced Friday that Jean Davidson had been appointed executive director and CEO. Before joining the Kennedy Center in 2023, Davidson had served for eight years as executive director and CEO of the Los Angeles Master Chorale at The Music Center.

“The arts are where a community sees itself, and where it imagines what’s possible next,” Davidson said in a statement. “I’m honored to join the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Arts at this pivotal moment.”

Kennedy Center President Richard Grenell said in a statement to The Associated Press that she was among those who deserved “enormous credit” for their efforts.

“I have enjoyed working with Jean to cultivate new donors and patrons while cleaning up the financial mess at the (center),” he said.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Davidson said: “It has been a great honor to serve the NSO and to work alongside Gianandrea Noseda, Steven Reineke, the extraordinary musicians, and the dedicated staff and board. I’m deeply proud of everything we’ve accomplished together.”

Davidson told the Los Angeles Times that she had found it “more and more difficult” to remain at the Kennedy Center, “given the external forces that are at work that are just so far beyond my control.”

After mostly ignoring the center during his first term, Trump has made it a focal point in his war against “woke” culture.” He ousted the Kennedy Center’s previous leadership and replaced it with a hand-picked board of trustees who voted to rename the facility the Trump Kennedy Center, a change scholars and lawmakers say must be initiated by Congress.

Renée Fleming, Philip Glass and Bela Fleck are among numerous artists who have called off performances, and the Washington National Opera ended its decades-long residency. Last month, Trump said he would move to close the center this summer for construction he expects to last two years.

At the Wallis, Davidson succeeds Robert van Leer, who recently left to join the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation as performing arts program director.

4 things to know about the weather:

1. So Many Clouds
2. Not Too Much Rain
3. Milder For The Weekend
4. Warmer Days Next Week

The dividing line between the 50s and the 70s is a cold front that has been wedged right down into our area by high pressure anchored over New England. East winds will bring our air off the ocean and Bay and both of those bodies of water are COLD this time of year.

Afternoon highs will stay in the 40s near the Bay, should reach the low/mid 50s near DC and could be near 60° west of Fredericksburg.

Very little sunshine today but not too much of a rain chance. Clouds, fog and 40s for all tonight.

Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to check the weather radar on the go.

A developing storm over the Ohio Valley will finally begin to push that high pressure away tomorrow. Our afternoon highs will be dependent on how soon our wind can turn around to the Southwest.

Plan for a cloudy and chilly Saturday morning with a big jump in temperatures by mid-afternoon. Northern and Northeastern Maryland will remain cooler, but the rest of the area should pop above 70° for the first time this year.

The aforementioned storm will send a front through our area Saturday night. That front will bring a round of showers along with it. Showers will be likely Saturday evening and night.

The majority of that rain chance will be ending before noon on Sunday and the return of a little sun on Sunday afternoon should warm most areas to near 70° once again.

The first few days of next week will feel more like May than March. Highs on Monday should be near 75° and both Tuesday and Wednesday could top 80°. That warm pattern won’t last long, but it sure will feel good.

QuickCast

TODAY:
Mostly Cloudy
Coolest Along, East Of I-95
Isolated Showers
Wind: East 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 48° to 62°

TONIGHT:
Cloudy And Damp
Isolated Showers
Areas Of Fog
Wind: East 5-10 mph
Chance Of Rain: 20%
LOWS: 40° to 45°

SATURDAY:
Partly To Mostly Cloudy
Breezy And Warmer
Isolated Showers
Wind: Southwest 10-20 mph
Chance of Rain: 20%
HIGHS: 65° to 75°

SUNDAY:
Partly Sunny
AM: Showers Likely
PM: Dry For Most
Wind: Northwest 5-15 mph
Chance of Rain: 40%
HIGHS: 64° to 72°

MONDAY:
Sun And Clouds
Nice And Mild
Light Breeze
Wind: Variable 5 mph
Chance of Rain: 0%
HIGHS: 66° to 72°

Sunrise: 6:33       Sunset: 6:06
Average High: 53°  Average Low: 36°

Stay with Storm Team4 for the latest forecast. Download the NBC Washington app on iOS and Android to get severe weather alerts on your phone.