Episode #203 - Patrick Devenny on Identity, Eating Disorders and Finding a Way Back

In this episode, Kat sits down with Patrick Devenny — former football player at the University of Colorado Boulder — for a raw conversation about what happens when the sport that defines you disappears. In this episode: * How deeply his identity — and his parents' identities — were wrapped up in football * Going undrafted to the Seahawks, a career-ending wrist injury, and the jarring transition to working as a restaurant host with a cast on his hand * The unexpected loss of his mother and how it accelerated a downward spiral * How disordered eating became a way to reclaim control — and how it nearly cost him his life * The random podcast episode that became his lifeline * Why he decided to speak publicly about an issue so stigmatized in men's sports * His take on disordered eating rates among athletes and why so few talk about it * A broader conversation on college athletics, coaching turnover, and what support for student-athletes should actually look like A note on this episode: This conversation includes discussion of eating disorders and suicidal ideation. If you or someone you know is struggling, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline and the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call or text 988) are both available 24/7 Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

Scott Roussell was a Division I soccer player at UVA until two knee surgeries ended his career — and, unknowingly, took his only sense of identity with it. Years of quiet unraveling followed, masked by outward success, until alcohol became his coping mechanism. It led him for years until the moment he finally admitted he couldn't do this alone. In this episode, Scott shares his recovery, the questions it raised about how athletes are prepared for the game but not for life after it, and how that led him to found After We Play, a mental performance platform for competitive youth and college athletes. Learn more about After We Play here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

This week on The Mental Matchup, Kat's joined by Suzanne Potts, the new Executive Director of Morgan's Message. Suzanne brings a career built at the intersection of sports, mental health, and nonprofit leadership. She's a licensed social worker with a master's in both social work and public health, a former soccer player and has spent nearly a decade in non-profit leadership. She's also taught in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Austin and previously served as Executive Director of the Autism Society of Texas. In this conversation, we cover how Suzanne got here, what drew her to Morgan's Message, and where she sees the organization headed under her leadership. If you or someone you know is struggling, please know that Morgan's Message and resources like it exist for exactly this reason. You don't have to go through it alone. Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

This is episode 200 of The Mental Matchup — and to mark the occasion, we're doing something we've never done before: bringing the co-founders of Morgan's Message together (well, sort of together) to reflect on how we got here. In this milestone episode, the co-founders look back on the earliest conversations after Morgan's passing, the moment they knew her story needed to become something bigger than grief, and how "eliminate the stigma" and "treat mental health equally with physical health" became the core of the mission. They talk about watching Morgan's Message grow beyond their own circle, what they've learned about grief and legacy along the way, what they'd do differently if they were starting over, and the people behind the scenes who made it all possible. If you or someone you know is struggling, please know that Morgan's Message and resources like it exist for exactly this reason. You don't have to go through it alone. Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

Morgan Maxwell DiPrimo is the Founder & CEO of ALIGN33 Media, Inc., a national organization using documentary storytelling, public health education, and policy work to change how eating disorders are understood and treated in the U.S. A former NYC film and television professional (Pace University-trained), Morgan draws on her own experience with disordered eating and more than 300 global interviews to build ALIGN33 into a lasting platform — not a single project, but a movement. In this episode: * Morgan's path into media * Her personal story with disordered eating * What sparked ALIGN33 and her vision for national, systemic change Links: Morgan's Substack here Connect with Morgan on IG here Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn here Connect with ALIGN33 Media here Note: This episode discusses disordered eating. If you're struggling, the National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline can help: 1-866-662-1235.

"Your story is someone else's survival guide." That's the phrase Julian Bell holds onto — because Morgan's story was hers. Julian's injury story starts in 7th grade, with pain she still manages today at 22. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Julian opens up about developing an eating disorder tied to that injury, the moment medical retirement entered the conversation, her healing journey, and the road back to rebuilding a relationship with her body, her sport, and herself. Through it all, Morgan's story was Julian's throughline. Now, Julian is ready to be that for someone else. In this episode: * Living with a chronic injury since 7th grade * Developing an eating disorder tied to injury and identity loss * Medical retirement and recovery * How Morgan's story became Julian's survival guide * Julian's vision for advocacy moving forward Content warning: this episode discusses disordered eating and suicidal ideation. If this episode brings up anything difficult: 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline (call/text 988). You are not alone. Connect with Julian on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

Before he became a mental wellness advocate, Charles Wittman was an All-American basketball player — four years at Queens University of Charlotte, followed by a pro career in Brazil. But behind the accolades was a private battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation that spanned his high school, college, and post-playing years. In this episode, Charles opens up about what it actually looked like to compete at an elite level while struggling internally — and how those experiences led him to write The Internal Game Plan, a guide that applies the discipline and principles of sports to everyday emotional, physical, and mental health. We talk about: * What it was like carrying mental health struggles through his career * The moment Charles decided to turn his lived experience into a framework for others * How "The Internal Game Plan" helps people build clarity, resilience, and self-awareness through consistent habits — not quick fixes * Why Charles sees himself as an impactor, not an influencer * Practical tools listeners can start using today to navigate their own challenges Charles is a father, entrepreneur, and speaker based in Los Angeles, working with athletes, students, and professionals to help them build systems for real, sustainable growth. Connect with Charles on IG here You can find The Internal Game Plan here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

This week, we're joined by Jacqueline Friedland, author of the brand-new novel Breathing Under Water — that was released August 4! Jackie's path wasn't a straight line: from Penn, to law school, to practicing lawyer, to published author. We talk about that pivot — the best parts and the hardest parts — before diving into her book, which follows two women whose paths intersect through deeply relatable (if very different) life experiences. We also cover what inspired the story, including the financial pressures faced by McKenna, a competitive swimmer, and get personal about Jackie's author's note on her mom's decades of work with children on the autism spectrum — and how that's shaped the way Jackie sees the world and raises her own kids. About the book: Breathing Under Water released August 4 and is available at https://www.jacquelinefriedland.com/books/breathing-under-water or wherever books are sold. Connect with Jackie on IG here Connect with Jackie online here Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here Connect with Morgan’s Message here

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