My Journey to
Beyond Sport
For years I answered to “Coach Bern” and could be found on a field with a whistle around my neck. Bringing the best out of people has always been my passion. Sport was the medium. After over a decade as a college coach, I recognized an unseen epidemic. I had steadily observed the mental health & wellness of athletes, coaches, and sports industry professionals decline to an alarming place. Many of the toughest on the outside, were suffering the most.
Sport, once an outlet and joy, was now straining the lives of those around me. At every turn there seemed to be gaps in prioritizing and supporting those in and around sport. I was spending vast amounts of time informally sharing tools, resources, encouragement, and clinical knowledge gained from my experience as a professional counselor with fellow administrators, athletes, and coaching peers. Yet, it never seemed like enough.
It was time to take the leap into a new role. My focus shifted from helping young women win championships, to empowering people win back their lives beyond sport.
Awareness has increased around prioritizing mental health, however trusted professionals who have life experience with the unique pressure and mindset of athletics are scarce. Is sport the enemy? No. Is any one party in the system completely at fault? No. When we get stronger and healthier as individuals, we can make systems better for all. I am here to help you find solutions, not point fingers.
More on my background
Elite Athlete
I am no stranger to winning and know the sacrifices required to achieve athletic success. I navigated a two-sport college recruiting process & brought a Division I program to a top 20 ranking as a captain. I graduated early and started a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling in my final year competing. Successful athletes on and off the field unknowingly create mounting pressure to perform, to win, and to never let their guard down. The rise to the top can be lonely, and once one gets there it can be hard to know what to do next. I lead athletes to reach their fullest potential on and off the field by reorienting their relationship with success, through a process filled with empathy for each individual path.
Professional counselor
I earned an M.Ed. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and am licensed as a Professional Counselor. I worked for a community mental health agency placed in a school with high incidences of mental health crises and low economic access to care. This unique partnership allowed me to see how beneficial holistic care was to client outcomes. I also worked in a college counseling center. I did both individual and group therapy. My treatment specialties included the areas of anger management, self-harm and crisis intervention, depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, relationship and adjustment issues. My clinical knowledge and experience allows me to guide you through a process to regain wellbeing, balance, and wholeness.
College Coach
When I was away from sport as a counselor, I couldn’t shake missing competing and being out on a field each day. I became a college coach, something I LOVED for over 10 years. I led programs to championships, and also built programs from the ground-up. At one time I was one of the youngest head coaches in the country in my sport. If there is one thing my time in collegiate coaching taught me, it’s this: every athlete and coach is a whole person. Athletics gives us a place and space to become more self-aware and hopefully more alive as a human. I understand the challenges facing college coaches and their student athletes, and I desire to see everyone flourish.