Mission Statement: Enhancing our student-athletes athletic experience through evidence-based clinical practice and implementation of performance enhancement tools. The whole, healthy person is the best performer. It is okay to not be okay.
Optimal Performance and Wellness Panel
Sport and Performance Psychology Staff
Shannon Bellflower, LPC, Staff Clinician, Athletics. BIO
Services for Student-Athletes
Individual psychotherapy
Mental Skills Training / Performance; enhancement skill development
Group Work/Support Spaces allow connecting with other athletes in a safe space.
24-hour on-call crisis and emergency services (703.993.2380) through Dr Vigon in ICA, and CAPS centralized campus mental health program
Mental health presentations at orientations for each team
Drug and alcohol counseling, referral for ADHD assessments
Disordered eating support and referral to higher level of care as needed
Referral, coordination, and monitoring of higher levels of care (intensive outpatient and/or residential treatment).
Referral to other Counseling and Mental Health groups that are available to attend, including body image/eating disorder, anxiety, relationship, bereavement, and substance use, LGBTQ+ Athlete group
Training sessions on a variety of topics including suicide prevention; sexual responsibility; domestic and intimate partner violence; alcohol, cannabis and other substances, and any other mental health concern or issue.
All student-athletes have access to the groups, workshops, programs, educational modules, and clinical services of the centralized college mental health team, Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), in addition to George Mason Student Health Services (SHS).
Optimal Performance Series: Episodes 2 and 3
Dr. Derek Vigon and Men's Soccer's Gabriel Silveira Discuss ICD and Recovery
Information for George Mason Parents
College athletes can utilize George Mason Athletics sport psychology and wellness services for any reason they might need extra support— in managing anxiety, depression, self-improvement, eating problems, homesickness, relationship concerns (roommates, intimate partners, family members, etc.), identity issues, academic problems, substance abuse, loneliness, grief, and loss. College athletes face unique pressures and are under a tremendous amount of stress. Let’s all work together to support our George Mason Athletics community.
In an attempt to maintain healthy boundaries, promote autonomy in decision-making, and improve critical thinking, George Mason student-athletes are, and will be treated as an independent ADULT by everyone on campus and all athletic department staff. They will be encouraged and expected to advocate for themselves on all matters.
• Don’t plan on making calls to professors and staff unless there is a true emergency.
• Know your resources and then attempt to coach your ADULT child to speak appropriately with staff themselves and advocate for their concern.
• If you are not sure about the approach, call the George Mason Sport Psychology and Wellness team for help, and we will do our best to answer your questions within the context of protecting confidentiality, HIPAA, and FERPA.