All Articles by Kathryn Wilder, Ph.D

Concussion Discussion: Encouraging Female Athletes to Be Safer, Stronger

A mental training coach encourages female athletes to be their own health advocates and to play safer and smarter, especially one it comes to concussions.

Compassionate and Competitive Play Can Co-Exist: Saying No to Bullying

We can prevent bullying in today's hypercompetitive world of sports with open, honest conversation, and by instilling self-confidence and self respect, modeling positive and compassionate behavior, and teaching inclusivity, says a sports trainer and performance consultant.

Outdoor Adventure Club Benefits Kids In Many Ways

When a mom and sports psychologist started an Outdoor Adventure Club for kids at her son's elementary school, she learned that involving your children in physical activities outside of organized sports can reap enormous benefits.  Finding an activity that involves learning practical skills and teaching children how to have more confidence makes it a win-win for everyone.

Five Ways To Support Your Child In Sports

Based upon her experiences as a daughter and mother, a sports psychologist offers five tips for parents to avoid getting caught playing the expectation game in youth sports and to support their kids in positive, constructive ways.

Critical Coach or Bully?

Constant criticism from a youth sports coach, especially when involves personal attacks, can cross the line into bullying, and often backfires, creating a crisis of confidence in an athlete, damaging their self-esteem and hurting, rather than helping, performance.  Here's advice from a sports psychology professional on what parents and athletes can do about a critical coach.

Spring Break: Fun Outdoor Adventures For Entire Family

Looking for ideas on how to keep your kids busy over spring break.  Ask your kids to put away the hand-held electronics for a day, get some exercise, and have some fun on an outdoor adventure.

Advice to Sports Parents: Stress Fun, Building Skills

With the increasing focus in youth sports on success, a sports psychologist and former elite short track cyclist says parents should emphasize practice to play, leaving their expectations at home on game day, and being motivated by a desire to have fun, not achieve results.