The mental wellness of Golden Bears and Pandas athletes plays a critical role in their success on and off the field of play. The area of mental wellness in Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics includes mental health which encompasses overall psychological well-being  as well as mental performance which focuses on sport psychology. Significant resources have been allocated to this service area over the past number of years as the need for care has increased.

Well 2 Win Mental Wellness support services for Golden Bears and Pandas Athletics consists of a number of different initiatives that complement and flow into each other throughout the varsity season. These programs are coordinated by 2 dedicated Athletics staff members (Mental Wellness Consultant and the Mental Wellness and Academic Coach) who also provide direct consultation with athletes when needed. Beyond the service options described below that are accessible by all Golden Bears and Pandas student-athletes, many of the individual varsity teams employ their own distinct mental wellness services, often in the form of team-specific sport psychologists on the coaching staff, to deal with their unique sporting environment and team culture. Further support is also offered by the University through programs that are available to all UofA students.

Athletics Mental Health Screening
All Golden Bears and Pandas student-athletes complete medical and health screens during the varsity season and mental health is included in that process. These screenings are completed at the beginning of the fall semester, and again at the beginning of the winter semester and allow our medical and mental wellness staff to monitor the well-being of our student-athletes while offering support options for those displaying symptoms of mental health struggles based on their screening results.

Private Counseling Referral Pathway
For Golden Bears and Pandas student-athletes that are facing significant mental health challenges,  the Private Counseling Referral Pathway provides subsidized psychological support and counseling based on the individual needs of the student-athlete. The pathway connects student-athletes with psychological support and counseling both on and off campus through a variety of means depending on the nature of the situation.

START Team
START (Students and Athletes Rising Together) is a group of graduate students and alumni who volunteer their time to provide mental performance support for varsity teams at the University of Alberta. Taking an embedded approach to their involvement within the sport environment, the START Team tailors their support to the needs of each team through consultation with the coaching staff. START members also create and share information specific to mental performance as well as mental wellness for student-athletes on Instagram.

Wellness Wednesdays
Wellness Wednesdays occur monthly in the Sport Performance Centre to provide informal opportunities for student-athletes to check in on their mental wellness. Each month features different activities and the sessions are open to drop-in participation. Past activities include animal therapy, positive messaging and mindfulness exercises.