Lose Better
More schools are putting policies in place to have their guidance counselors trained in mental health first aid and to encourage counselors to help high school seniors get a “talk therapist” or “at least someone you trust outside of immediate family” before they go to college, and to use these sessions as a lifeline and support system to encourage playing sports as a means to cope.
“It establishes a relationship before you leave the nest - so that when crisis comes and it probably will come in some fashion - you have a lifeline beyond just mom or dad,” says Ron Youmans, an MSW who told us his son struggled with the transition to school and “would have benefited from having a therapist in place.” While an MSW, a counselor or a clinical psychologist may be the right fit, some counselors acknowledge that it doesn’t have to be a “mental health" therapist - it could be a former teacher or coach, or an adult mentor.
In our poll of 1,110 school administrators back in 2018, just 9% had this policy – now it’s up to 28%.
Even more interesting, if you had to guess the #1 thing these therapists are advising their 18-19 year old patients to do - you would be right on if you said “lose.”
That’s right - not only is it important to establish a relationship with someone heading into the difficult college transition, but many are suggesting that their patients find competitive exercise - games - where they can run, burn off steam, and lose the game. “Don’t try to lose, but I think losing is better for a lot of us and particularly those struggling with mental health - because you can experience the good part of exercise which will help you manage and cope and yet realize that you don’t have to win to feel that way,” says Gia Sandstrom, a volleyball coach from Illinois who moonlights as a therapist.
Said another way, lose better as this actor in the movie Zombie so articulately said to his high school football team during halftime. “Just move, he says. “Look I know we’re going to lose….so let’s just lose better….” For a good laugh, check out the movie clip here: Lose Better
And for background on the soon-to-be released study on this subject click here.