WINTERFEST: Mental Health in the Student Athlete: a Peer Support Approach

ON DEMAND WEBINAR

Presented by Christopher Tornow, BLS/CPR

0.5 Contact Hours

Description:

Collegiate students athletes experience a higher than normal amount of stress, when compared to a traditional college student, due to the high demands placed upon them. The expectation that comes with athletics, to balance academic and athletic responsibilities results in an increase in stress and anxiety, and reduces to the occupational participation of activities that many students find to be meaningful. While student athletes often have physical health resources readily available to them, they appear to lack the knowledge and support of mental health assistance. Occupational therapy has the tools to address this area of need and should be implemented and made available to student athletes to utilize as needed. 

Utilizing an occupation based approach, a peer support program was created at the University of Findlay to educate student athletes on occupational balance, micro self care, and effective resource access. A total of five modules were created to help educate the student athletes on how to be effective peer supporters in the identified areas. The module based program allows for greater sustainability and modification if deemed necessary in the future.

Objectives:

• To gain a better understanding of the increased demands of collegiate student athletes and how it affects mental health and occupational balance.
• The importance of effective peer support for student athletes within the collegiate setting and how it can help to reduce stress and anxiety, and improve occupational balance and health care routines.

Presenter bio:

Christopher Tornow is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy candidate at the University of Findlay, with an expected graduation in May 2025. He holds a Master of Arts in Leadership from Shorter University and a Bachelor of Science in Education from Bowling Green State University. His clinical fieldwork experiences include rotations in outpatient therapy, orthopedics, community-based settings, and school-based practice with Columbus City Schools. Christopher has presented at the AOTA national conference on mental health among health professions graduate students and is developing a student-athlete mental health program for an upcoming university spotlight event. Prior to pursuing occupational therapy, he worked as a GED teacher and adult education coordinator, and served as a Combat Medic and Healthcare Sergeant in the United States Army Reserves, where he held leadership responsibilities including training soldiers in combat lifesaving and coordinating medical readiness. He is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and holds current BLS/CPR certification.

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