Episode #194 - Caitlin Walsh

This week, Emily Boyle shares how a concussion during her freshman year forced her to medically redshirt and completely reshaped her experience as a student-athlete. In this episode, we discuss: 1. Recovering from a season-ending concussion 2. The mental toll of being sidelined and losing your athletic identity 3. Balancing recovery, school, and life away from home 4. Finding purpose and staying connected to your team while injured Emily's story is a reminder that even when you're unable to compete, you still belong—and healing is about so much more than returning to play. Connect with Emily on IG here Learn more about Morgan’s Message here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we sit down with Caitlin Walsh, a former Saint Anselm College lacrosse player whose athletic journey was shaped by multiple knee injuries, surgeries, and ultimately the difficult decision to medically retire from the sport she loved. Caitlin opens up about the mental health challenges that accompanied her recovery, including anxiety, uncertainty, and the loss of an athletic identity she had built for years. She shares how she navigated some of the hardest moments of her life, what helped her move forward, and why choosing to step away from the game became the right decision for her. In this episode, we discuss: • The mental health impact of long-term injuries • Navigating multiple surgeries and recoveries • Anxiety during the rehab process • The challenges of medically retiring from sport • Grieving the loss of an athletic identity • Finding purpose and confidence beyond the game Connect with Caitlin here Learn more about Morgan’s Message here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we sit down with Hannah De Groot, licensed therapist and founder of Stride Counseling, to discuss the intersection of sport, eating disorders, OCD, and mental health. In this episode, we explore: * The unique pressures within sport that can impact an athlete's mental health * Hannah's personal recovery journey and how it inspired her to pursue this work * How she supports athletes through eating disorder and OCD treatment with a compassionate, evidence-based approach * Breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and help-seeking in athletics * What recovery can look like for athletes and why healing doesn't mean giving up on your goals Whether you're an athlete, coach, parent, or teammate, this conversation offers insight, hope, and practical ways to better understand and support mental health in sport. To learn more about Stride Counseling you can visit the website here Connect with Hannah and Stride Counseling on IG here Learn more about Morgan’s Message here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here

In this episode, Kat is joined by Tiffany Yvonne Gratton, who dives into the mental side of performance and what it really takes to thrive under pressure. Athletes are often told to "be tough" or "stay locked in," but few are given practical tools to navigate the realities of competition, social media, expectations, and comparison. Tiffany shares actionable strategies to help athletes perform at their best while protecting their mental well-being. Topics discussed include: • Why building an identity beyond sport is critical for long-term success and fulfillment • How pressure impacts the brain, decision-making, and performance • Practical tools athletes can use when anxiety, self-doubt, or overwhelm show up We also explore the Pause → Plan → Play to Win framework, a simple yet powerful approach that helps athletes reset, regain clarity, and compete with confidence when the pressure is on. This conversation is a reminder that excellence and well-being are not mutually exclusive. The goal isn't just to perform—it's to pursue greatness without losing yourself in the process. To learn more about Tiffany you can visit her website here Connect with Tiffany on IG here Learn more about Morgan’s Message here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here

In this powerful episode, Kat chats with Danny O’Connor to discuss the hidden reality of eating disorders in weight-class sports and the devastating impact they can have on athletes behind the scenes.Danny shares the story behind his memoir, WEIGHT CLASS — a raw and deeply personal account of battling an eating disorder throughout his wrestling, Olympic, and professional boxing career. In sports where extreme weight-cutting is normalized, what looked like discipline from the outside became a decades-long cycle of starvation, dehydration, purging, and silence.Together, we discuss:The culture of weight-cutting in sportsWhy eating disorders in male athletes are so often overlookedThe mental and physical toll of silence and shameRecovery, identity, and rebuilding life after sportWhat parents, coaches, and athletes need to knowThis conversation is honest, emotional, and necessary. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or someone struggling silently yourself, Danny’s story serves as both a warning and a lifeline.You can connect with Danny on IG hereFind Danny's book hereConnect with Morgan’s Message on Instagram hereLearn more about Morgan’s Message hereSubmit your story for The Mental Matchup here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Matt Young — former professional footballer, endurance athlete, and performance coach focused on helping people create lasting mental and emotional change.Matt shares how the pressures of high performance, identity struggles, and emotional challenges shaped his journey from professional sports into helping others break free from anxiety, fear, and limiting beliefs.We talk about:Why people stay stuck mentally and emotionallyThe difference between the thinking mind and emotional mindMasking identity and hiding from the truthBreaking through fear, anxiety, and limiting beliefsA powerful conversation about healing, self-awareness, and transformation.Connect with Matt here Matt's 5 Day Mindset Training linked here The Power of Your Identity linked here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Trevor Ruhland — former Division I football player and national champion at University of Notre Dame.Trevor opens up about what was happening behind the scenes while competing at the highest level of college football, including his battle with an eating disorder, identity struggles tied to performance, and the pressure to always appear strong.In this episode, we talk about identity beyond sport, the silent battles many athletes face, vulnerability in men’s mental health, and what it looks like to find purpose after the game ends. Trevor shares his story with honesty in hopes that other athletes feel less alone and more willing to ask for help.Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn hereConnect with Trevor on Instagram here Connect with Morgan’s Message on Instagram hereLearn more about Morgan’s Message hereSubmit your story for The Mental Matchup here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Hania Taduran—former Division I beach volleyball athlete and founder of Breaking Barriers, an organization dedicated to advancing mental health support for athletes through education, peer connection, and advocacy.Hania brings a rare and powerful perspective to this conversation, blending her lived experience as a high-performing athlete with her clinical training in Marriage and Family Therapy. Having competed on a nationally ranked NCAA team at FIU, she understands firsthand the pressure, identity challenges, and emotional weight that often come with elite athletics.In this episode, Hania opens up about her personal journey and the experiences that shaped her passion for making mental health support more accessible and usable for athletes.Together, we explore:Hidden grief in athletics and how it shows up in performance, identity, and emotional well-beingWhy athletes often struggle to name or process grief—and what actually helpsBarriers to help-seeking in sports and the subtle ways stigma shows up in athletic cultureWhat it takes to shift environments so athletes feel safe asking for supportThe story behind Breaking Barriers and how Hania is turning awareness into meaningful, systemic changeThis conversation is an honest look at what so many athletes carry behind the scenes—and a reminder that vulnerability isn’t weakness, it’s a pathway to connection, healing, and growth.Connect with Breaking Barriers Org here Follow Breaking Barriers Org on IG here Follow Morgan's Message on IG hereFollow The Mental Matchup on IG here Find out more about Morgan's Message here

This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Tyler Ingle — a former student-athlete and communications professional whose journey through mental health challenges is as raw as it is impactful.Tyler opens up about navigating anxiety, depression, and a severe eating disorder, while also processing deeply personal experiences like his father leaving at a young age. These are the kinds of struggles that often go unspoken in athletics and in life—and Tyler is changing that.Through honesty and reflection, Tyler shares how his experiences shaped not only who he is today, but how he shows up for others. From working across professional sports leagues like the NWSL and USL to supporting athletes at the collegiate level, his mission is clear: to make a positive difference and remind people they’re not alone.In this episode, we talk about:The hidden nature of mental health struggles in athletesWhat it looks like to confront anxiety, depression, and disordered eatingProcessing abandonment and its long-term impactPractical strategies Tyler used to move forwardHow vulnerability can become a tool for connection and changeThis conversation is a powerful reminder that healing isn’t linear—and that your story, no matter how heavy, can become something that helps someone else keep going.Connect with Tyler on IG hereConnect with Tyler here Follow Morgan's Message on IG here Follow The Mental Matchup on IG hereFind out more about Morgan's Message here

This week on The Mental Matchup, Lisa Fiore shares a deeply personal story about how her mental health journey has shaped the way she shows up — as a parent, leader, and advocate.Lisa opens up about struggling with disordered eating beginning in high school and navigating a path that spanned more than two decades. She reflects on how those experiences changed her relationship with herself and how they now inform the way she talks about mental health with her children and supports others in her community.Today, Lisa channels her experiences into leadership and service. A former Executive Director of Girls on the Run and current Director of Strategic Partnerships for the Lehigh Valley Association of Independent Colleges, she is passionate about creating supportive environments for young people to grow and thrive.We talk about healing, resilience, parenting with openness, and the hope that comes from sharing your story.Connect with Morgan’s Message hereFollow Morgan’s Message on IG here