Adaptive Athlete Mental Wellness Support

Q: How do I apply for grant funding to cover mental health counseling?

Athletes recovering from life-altering injuries can apply through the Empowerment Fund on our website. Grants can be allocated toward traditional counseling, trauma therapy, alternative healing modalities, and cognitive coaching sessions.

Q: What types of injuries qualify an athlete for support through High Fives?

We focus primarily on athletes who have sustained permanent, life-altering injuries, including spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries, amputation, and severe physical trauma, suffered while pursuing outdoor action sports or serving in the military.

Q: Are mental health services available for family members and caregivers?

Yes. We recognize that severe injuries affect the entire support network, so family members can access education and community resources through our healing centers.

Q: Can I volunteer as a peer mentor if I am an adaptive athlete?

Yes. Adaptive athletes who want to support others can get involved as peer mentors through the ambassador program. Sharing your own experiences helps newly injured individuals feel less alone as they adjust to life after an injury. Your experience as an adaptive athlete can offer a valuable perspective to someone learning to move forward and reconnect with the activities they enjoy.

In an instant, your life can change. Taking time to process, grieve, and allowing space for processing a life-changing injury is an important part of recovery. A strong support system can be priceless in a physical and mental recovery. We encourage all of our Athletes to set goals, and challenge you to do the same. This way you can continue improving your strength, health, quality of life, and help you achieve your goals. Please click on a link to get connected.

Injured athlete receiving adaptive athlete mental wellness support during PT.

The High Fives Foundation

Recovery and Support Resources

Visit psychologytoday.com/us and enter in your zip code and find a list of licensed physicians in your area. You can filter your search to specifically tailor your needs.

Keywords to search:

Counselor
Performance Coach
Cognitive Coaching
Trauma Therapy
Goal-setting
Brain Injury
PTSD
LMFT (License Marriage and Family Therapist)

Physical activity can improve your mental health! An hour of moderate exercise a day can reduce the risk of major depression by 26 %. Find a local personal trainer! If you are in Truckee, CA, check out the amazing practitioners at the CR Johnson Healing Center.

If you are eligible for a High Fives Foundation Empowerment Grant, keep in mind that mental health services fall under the Healing Network umbrella and funding can be requested. Find out more about the application process.

Truckee/Tahoe Resources

Truckee Local

Karin Sable MA, LMFT
info@karinsable.com
(530) 581-0339

Performance Coach

Sarah Capuano
seclifford@gmail.com
(480) 559-1925

Coaching for athletes looking to strengthen mental skills and improve performance.

Online

Speedy Foundation
thespeedyfoundation.org

Increasing mental health performance,
suicide prevention, and mental health advocacy.

Importance of Specialized Peer Mentorship

With a single injury or limb loss, the emotional impact can continue long after physical therapy begins. Access to adaptive athlete mental wellness support can make this transition easier by giving injured athletes a place to find support and connect with people who understand what they are going through.

Peer support can also be an important part of the healing process.

At High Fives, the Athlete Ambassador network connects newly injured people with adaptive athletes who have faced similar challenges. These mentors offer honest advice about adjusting to life after an injury and finding ways to return to the activities they enjoy. Talking with someone who has been through a similar experience can reduce the sense of isolation that often follows a serious injury.

It also gives athletes a chance to learn from real experiences while working through the mental and emotional challenges of recovery.

How Donors Power Adaptive Athlete Mental Wellness

Physical rehabilitation assists an athlete in regaining movement, while mental strength helps them adjust to life after an injury.

Returning to the outdoor community may also require emotional support and adaptive equipment. For many athletes, paying for these mental health resources for disabled athletes can be difficult, creating another challenge during an already demanding recovery.

Every dollar contributed to our adaptive sports charity program directly funds holistic recovery for life-altering injury survivors. Through the Empowerment Fund and the CR Johnson Healing Center, donor support covers vital mental health services, including trauma therapy and sports psychology tailored to adaptive athletes.

When you give, you aren't just funding sit-skis or handcycles. You are restoring an athlete's confidence.