ST. PAUL, Minn. – With an increased focus on attention to mental health and overall well-being of student-athletes, Concordia University, St. Paul has teamed up with Psychlytics.
Concordia has been a trailblazing institution, making the partnership a slam dunk, as Psychlytics is seeking to become a trailblazing force in its goal to provide a personalized mental health support tool for NCAA student-athletes – enabling athletes to grasp the direct correlation between improved mental health and enhanced performance.
When CSP became an NCAA Division II member and joined the Northern Sun (NSIC) prior to the turn of the century, Concordia was unique in its offering of laptops to all students, something that other institutions would soon offer. Then, a little over a decade later, Concordia slashed its costs and provided a first-of-its-kind transparency to students entering the higher education landscape – again, something other institutions would attempt to install on their campuses.
In the last 5-to-10 years, with the higher education marketplace shrinking, Concordia athletics began to add when others would subtract, welcoming women's lacrosse and women's swimming and diving as official NCAA varsity programs and aiding in the process of bringing a competitive esports program to CSP's club lineup on campus.
Following the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted the learning, social and emotional development, and performance of student-athletes at the youth, prep and collegiate levels, Concordia is continuing to be at the forefront with its new partnership with Psychlytics.
"We're so thankful for the opportunity to partner with Lori Seviola
and Psychlytics to implement this groundbreaking new tool in supporting student-athlete wellness," said
Regan McAthie, Director of Athletics at Concordia. "Lori's previous corporate experience, coupled with her passion for college athletics, led her to develop such an innovative resource, and this innovation aligns perfectly with CSP and our history of being pioneers in higher education. This is an incredible benefit to our student-athletes and we're thrilled to pilot the program."
"As we unveil our groundbreaking partnership with Concordia University Athletics, we are thrilled by the bold step they are taking towards prioritizing the holistic well-being of their student-athletes," said
Lori Seviola, founder of Psychlytics. "We are not only enhancing performance on the field but also fostering a culture of accountability that recognizes and nurtures the mental resilience of their athletes. This alliance marks a pivotal moment in our commitment to shaping not just skilled competitors but empowered, healthier individuals equipped with the tools to excel in every facet of life."
Psychlytics is an app-based mental health assessment tool that helps departments and teams by recognizing potential challenges early, aimed at improving outcomes and performance. It provides evidence-based, data-driven information to clients by accurately measuring the impact of acute and chronic mental health problems and limitations over time.
Psychlytics clinical experts, or an organization's clinical team, oversee the data received from the psychological assessments that are collected, providing an early detection method to help organizations and teams decrease the negative impact of psychological issues on performance, life, and study.
The next-generation platform helps leadership quickly identify and ask questions about mental health and athletic performance issues, and also aids in measuring progress to make treatment adjustments to result in an empowered, healthier, productive athlete. Psychlytics provides a unique approach to enable amateur and professional athletes to feel capable, resilient, and to have effective tools to perform better in school, sports, and life.
At Concordia, three teams have started on the ground floor with Psychlytics: women's soccer, women's basketball, and baseball. The student-athletes complete weekly assessments sent to them through the web-based app, and the data collected over time allows Psychlytics to identify when someone is feeling mental strain.
"This partnership signifies a paradigm shift in the approach to mental health and athletic performance," said Seviola. She continued, "Psychlytics' next-generation platform becomes an invaluable companion on their journey, providing a unique and personalized roadmap to mental well-being. It means that our athletes can now navigate the challenges of academics and sports. This collaboration is a testament to our unwavering dedication to the overall development of our student-athletes, recognizing that success isn't just measured in wins and losses, but in the well-being of the individuals who wear the Concordia colors."
ABOUT PSYCHLYTICS:
At Psychlytics, we wield the fusion of data and collaborative finesse to help athletes understand how peak mental performance affects life both in and out of competition. Our pioneering approach leverages data to catch mental health hints early and take swift action. From performance metrics to social cues and self-assessments, our platform deciphers the signs – from stressors to anxiety – with astonishing precision.
Psychlytics isn't merely about insights and charts. Our user-centric platform arms NCAA student-athletes, coaches, and university mental health pros with real-time feedback. It's a mental well-being compass for informed choices on health and performance. We get the unique student-athlete struggles, putting privacy on a pedestal. The data we collect adheres to the tightest standards, guarding anonymity like a sacred promise. Our goal: a stigma-free, personalized mental health solution.
By embarking on this journey with Psychlytics, NCAA institutions write a new chapter in student-athlete development. Our platform unwraps mental health narratives, summoning proactive care and a culture of compassion. Together, we craft a symphony where mental well-being reigns, igniting student-athletes to seize the podium of success, in sports and life.
Seviola concluded, "In joining forces with Concordia Athletics, Psychlytics finds a like-minded partner in our pursuit of empowering individuals through innovative mental health solutions. Our next-generation platform, designed to swiftly identify and address questions about mental health, gains a real-world testing ground within the dynamic and high-stakes environment of collegiate athletics. The feedback loop provided by Concordia's athletes becomes an invaluable resource, enabling us to continually refine and improve our tools. This partnership is a symbiotic relationship, where our mission aligns with Concordia's commitment to holistic athlete development, resulting in a win-win scenario that extends beyond the playing field, positively impacting lives and reshaping the narrative around mental health in sports."
The numbers tell a compelling story:
- Over 30% of NCAA student-athletes grapple with mental health hurdles during their college ride.
- A whopping 46% feel the weight of sport-related responsibilities, teetering on overwhelm.
- Mental health storms brew for student-athletes navigating academic pressure, performance demands, and college transitions.
Results-based feedback from student-athletes using the Psychlytics program:
- 100% felt the assessment process is easy to understand and complete.
- 95% felt the assessment instructions are clear and easy to follow.
- 95% feel the assessment process is useful.
- 89% would recommend this mental health assessment process to others.
- If a student-athlete did not participate, we asked them why:
- 47% did not feel they needed help with their mental health.
- 5% were concerned the results will be shared with others.
- 21% did not feel they had the time to complete the assessments.
- 21% were unsure what to expect, so they decided not to participate.
- 32% felt the acknowledgment of mental health concerns could lead to judgment, or the perception of weakness, which could impact other things in their life.
