RADical Hope Launches ‘Mind Flex with Aaron Taylor’ Micro-Podcast
To mark World Mental Health Awareness Day, RADical Hope announced the launch of Mind Flex with Aaron Taylor, a new micro-podcast to support student-athletes and young adults with concrete tools for developing resilience, confidence and connection. Throughout the thirty-episode series, Taylor shares real life stories of struggle and triumph, guiding listeners through universal challenges with actionable techniques to improve performance and well-being. Episode topics include: Imposter Syndrome: Silence the Self Doubt, Identifying and Managing Stress, Body Image, Core Values, Visualizations: Turning Your Vision into Victory and more. Check out a teaser for the podcast on Instagram and TikTok.
“I feel like I’ve been preparing my whole life for this project,” shared Taylor, CBS Sports’ College Football Today analyst. “Our goal is simple: to help student-athletes and young adults feel better, play better and handle life’s big moments with more confidence and less stress. As a former student-athlete, I know how tough it is to juggle school, sports and relationships. Post-pandemic life, NIL, the transfer portal and social media have made it even harder. For the last five years, RADical Hope has listened to student-athletes nationwide share their struggles. Now we’re meeting them where they’re at, speaking to them in a language they can understand and giving them real tools and perspectives to help them manage the chaos and feel more connected.”
There are over 500,000 student-athletes competing in NCAA sports and the unique pressures they face have been the subject of renewed concern in the wake of several high-profile tragedies in the last two years. A 2023 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) survey found that student-athletes report elevated levels of mental health concerns, with increased rates of mental exhaustion, anxiety and depression as they navigate both the rigors of competition along with the demands of college life.
RADical Hope is addressing the youth mental health crisis by developing, funding and scaling proven programs that help young adults now. Through partnerships with over 65 colleges and universities, as well as professional sports leagues, their RADical Health program has supported nearly 20,000 young adults with skills and resources to strengthen connections and build resilience so they’re equipped to cope before they reach a crisis point.
“We support thousands of student-athletes on campuses across the country,” said Liz Feld, RADical Hope CEO. “Many of them report feeling isolated, anxious and trapped in their identity as ‘athletes only.’ Mind Flex is another step in our commitment to listen to the needs of these young adults and address the challenges and opportunities they face. Aaron speaks their language and has walked in their shoes. His candid storytelling and humor create a space for emotional connection while arming them with actionable tools to help them today and everyday.”
Mind Flex with Aaron Taylor will be available to listeners starting on October 16th, 2024 on Spotify, Youtube, Apple Music, Pandora, iHeart Radio and Amazon Music. Video reels from the podcast will be available on Instagram at @radicalhope_fdn and TikTok at @radicalhopefoundation.