I have had many people over the years ask me why I became an Athletic Therapist? Why I went into sports for a career? What was the passion that made me choose Athletic Therapy? How to answer is complicated.
I would say the majority of Athletic Therapists will say they had an injury and Athletic Therapy gets us as close to "the game" as possible. For me that is partly true. Injury halted what I thought would be my ability to play semi-professionally in the sport that I loved. With that came graduation from high-school and what in the world would I do as a career? I was passionate about sports, youth, and education, but I also have been told I have an overly empathetic personality which ultimately landed me in Athletic Therapy.
Things were going fairly well especially given the saturated Athletic Therapy market that Victoria had to offer, but then 2020 arrived! I had a lot of time to reflect given no teams were playing or training and clinics were closed. What in the world had I done! Wow, was I in the wrong field? I was internalizing a lot and it was hard to navigate my own negative self thoughts and the pressure I felt from seeing others continue to work during the pandemic. I knew I had to think outside the box and figure out alternatives.
Having had that time to self reflect, to try to develop plans, and eating maybe not the best foods. What I realized during the process was that what I expect from my clients to answer my question on how they "feel" it may be adding unintended additional stress on them.
COVID became a blessing in disguise for me because it made me reflect on my own injury when I was only fourteen years of age. When I lost the game of soccer. What I recognized was that my anxiety and depression was not solely because I lost the game, as I thought it was fuelled by, but rather the way I felt about myself due to a negative comment a medical professional made to me. I realized through my own experience how words can either be helpful or detrimental to someone's recovery.
I want to be nothing like the nurse who didn't ask how I was feeling or who told me I wasn't trying hard enough. I vowed from that day forward to those who ask for my help in their recovery that I would be here to help. To listen. To support. To challenge the limitations and the norms. To my clients and athletes - I am listening. I hear you. If I don't seem to be, please call me out!
To become vulnerable with yourself takes a lot of courage! To be vulnerable with others may take even more courage, but we all have courage in us!
If you or anyone you know is struggling internally, reach out to someone and ask for the help. Because you are truly one of a kind!
