UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Athletics announced a pair of important initiatives to enhance the mental health services for its student-athletes. Heidi Christy and Kathryn (Katy) Pohland will join the health & wellness staff. Christy and Pohland will serve as athletic counselors and provide additional health & wellness resources and support to the student-athletes. In addition, Athletics announced a partnership with Mantra Health, the nation's leading digital mental health clinic for young adults, to provide clinically comprehensive mental health services to its student-athletes 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
 
"Support for strong mental health is personal to me and critical to our department," said Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Dr. Patrick Kraft. "We have to do our part to change the way mental health is viewed and to combat the stigma surrounding it. More importantly, mental health plays a critical role in holistic student-athlete wellness and development, and we encourage our student-athletes to make it a priority and to seek help when they need it. 
 
"We are looking forward to Heidi and Katy joining our staff and building our mental health & wellness department with two additional positions. These four staff members and the addition of our partnership with Mantra Health will provide complementary resources to our student-athletes. Our efforts today will impact our student-athletes for years to come."
 
Christy and Pohland are the first two of four health & wellness positions being added to aid student-athletes.
 
Heidi Christy
Christy, a licensed social worker, joined Penn State Athletics on November 21 after spending the last 11 years as a therapist for a private practice in Butler, Pennsylvania. In her role, she has provided individual therapy, group therapy for adolescents, crisis management and continued care planning. Christy also worked as a part time instructor in the psychology department at Butler County Community College since 2016.
 
Prior to moving to the private sector, Christy was the Lawrence County director for Catholic Charities from 2009-12 and was a PATH coordinator from 2006-09. She has also spent time at the Center for Community Resources and the Irene Stacy Community Mental Health Center.
 
A native of Butler County, Pennsylvania, Christy graduated from Slippery Rock University in 1999 with a degree in social work and earned her master's in social work from the University of Pittsburgh in 2004.
 
Kathryn Pohland
Pohland, who starts December 1, comes to Happy Valley after spending the last 15 years as the vice president and therapist at Life's Journey Counseling Center. In her position, Pohland facilitated assessments, diagnosis and treatments for individuals, families and couples. She coordinated care with caseworkers, primary care physicians, psychiatrists and education staff at local schools and universities.
 
Prior to joining Life's Journey Counseling Center, Pohland was an assistant to the psychologist for nine years at The Stern Center for Developmental and Behavioral Health. She consulted directly with the psychologist regarding diagnosis and services, in addition to facilitating assessments, diagnosis and services for children and adolescents. Pohland has also served as a therapist at Southwestern Pennsylvania Human Services, Unity Family Services and Adelphoi Village.
 
A native of Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Pohland earned her bachelor's degree in human development and family studies from Penn State in 2000. She also earned her master's in marriage and family therapy from Seton Hill University in 2005. Pohland has been a licensed therapist in Pennsylvania since 2008.
 
Athletics Adds Partnership with Mantra Health
Penn State Athletics has created a partnership with Mantra Health, which has partnered with the University since 2020 for psychiatric services, to provide its more than 850 student-athletes with virtual therapy that's accessible on nights and weekends.
 
"Less than half of female student-athletes feel as though their mental health is a priority to their athletic departments, and that's not nearly good enough," said Ed Gaussen, Co-Founder and CEO of Mantra Health. "We have clinically-guided therapists trained on the issues facing student-athletes, who are not only navigating the classroom and the field, but facing additional barriers to care, including busy schedules, financial responsibilities, and stigma associated with help-seeking behaviors. Mantra Health is working closely with Penn State Athletics to combat this and ensure that all student-athletes are not only aware of the services available, but are empowered to use them."
 
Depression and anxiety among student-athletes are twice as common as they were before the COVID-19 pandemic, according to an NCAA report. In addition, less than half of student-athletes said they would be comfortable seeking mental healthcare on campus, and only one in 10 college athletes utilize professional mental healthcare.
 
Student-athletes in Penn State Athletics, which houses 31 NCAA Division I teams, will now have access to a wide network of diverse digital mental health providers.
 
"Student-athletes are often celebrated for their achievements on the field, but that does mean they are immune from struggling with mental health issues. At Mantra Health, we are eager to foster an environment and support system that will help these athletes thrive physically, academically, and emotionally," said Gaussen.
 
About Mantra Health
Mantra Health is a digital mental health clinic on a mission to improve access to evidence-based mental healthcare for young adults. Through augmenting high-quality clinical services with software and design, we aim to improve the mental health of over 20 million university and college students through partnerships with higher education institutions and health insurance plans. The Mantra program has been deployed across 105 campuses with over 800,000 students, including Penn State, MIT, Cornell, and Miami Dade College.
 
Learn more about how Mantra Health aids student-athletes here.