We’re excited to introduce this year’s Virtual Workshop Series, a professional development experience designed specifically for athletic administrators and school leadership teams. This series offers a deep dive into critical topics that will help you enhance your athletic programs and elevate the student-athlete experience.

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Workshop Highlights

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Part 1: Prioritizing Student-Athlete Mental Health & Wellness
With growing attention on the well-being of student-athletes, our first five workshops will focus on fostering mental health and holistic wellness. Facilitating these 5 workshops will be Dr. Shreya Hessler and Casey Kutner, renowned experts in the field of mental health.

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​Specializing in cognitive-behavioral and applied behavioral therapies, Dr. Hessler has dedicated her career to supporting children, adolescents, and adults on their mental health journey. In recent years, she has worked closely with youth and professional athletes, consulting with sports programs to foster healthy, supportive environments for athletic growth and development.

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Joining Dr. Hessler is Casey Kutner, a clinician with expertise in treating depression, anxiety, adjustment disorders, OCD, and sports psychology. Trained in cognitive-behavioral and applied behavioral therapies, Casey works with children, adolescents, and adults, using an integrative approach that incorporates mindfulness and interpersonal techniques. A former Division I athlete, Casey brings her lifelong passion for sports psychology into both her clinical and coaching roles, emphasizing the mind-body connection, resilience training, and strength-based techniques to help athletes thrive in all areas of life.

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 In these five workshops you’ll gain valuable strategies for creating supportive environments that nurture both the mental and physical health of your athletes. Key discussion points will include:

• Addressing mental health challenges faced by student-athletes

• Navigating the complex relationships between players, parents, and coaches

• Building balanced, healthy team dynamics

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Part 2: Breaking Down Silos: Enhancing Collaboration Across School Departments

The remaining three workshops will address how, in many schools, departments like Athletics, Academics, Arts, and other school departments often function in silos, working independently of one another. This separation can limit the overall student experience and school cohesion. These three workshops will each be led by independent school leaders who will share best practices and focus on practical strategies for all department leaders and administrators to foster stronger relationships and collaboration across all areas of the school. Key topics will include:

• Breaking down barriers and building stronger connections between athletics and other departments

• Best practices for promoting open communication and teamwork across the school

• Implementing collaborative initiatives that align goals and resources for the benefit of all students