The State of Mind Sports Charity was founded in 2011 and uses the power of sport to promote their message of positive mental fitness.
Its programme aims to bolster the mental health and well-being of rugby league players and communities.
Their team of mental health and sports specialists conducts comprehensive education programmes across Super League, Championship and amateur clubs nationwide, as well as within colleges and community groups
PHOTO CREDIT: Joanne Phillips
In a bid to shed light on the intersection of mental health and women’s sports, Joanne Phillips, a Presenter and Mental Health First-Aider Instructor for the charity highlighted the pressing need for greater support and awareness within the sporting community.
She said: “We integrate our own personal lived experiences into our clinical-based mental health sessions. Wherever we can go and support people and raise awareness of mental health issues and enhance and improve people’s mental health, that’s where you’ll find us.”
In 2018, the 47-year-old suffered from a stroke during a Rugby League cup final for her former club Selby Warriors ending her playing career.
“It becomes the fabric of who you are playing sport and my mental health suffered when I could no longer play it."
PHOTO CREDIT: Joanne Phillips
Phillips was introduced to the State of Mind Sports Charity a short while after her accident.
She added: “I wanted to develop a modified specific version of the mental health awareness session for women. I aimed to encapsulate a session that women could resonate and relate to.”
Addressing crucial aspects of female athletes’ well-being, the charity representative said: “Menstruation is a massive issue, how it affects the physiology of our bodies and what that means for us in terms of training and how that impacts us mentally as women.
“Unfortunately, there’s still that taboo around it and a lot of that difficulty comes from the fact you’ve got predominantly male cultures at the helm of a lot of female sports.”
She added: “Motherhood is another issue that doesn’t get the recognition it deserves. Having to choose between playing the sport you love and motherhood shouldn’t be a choice.
“It’s incredible how many females in sports have come out and shown you can do both, but it’s still a massive difficulty.”
The State of Mind Sports Charity aims to break down the stigmas that prevent individuals from speaking up and from hurting. Phillips believes that the most powerful part of their sessions is when they share their own lived experiences.
PHOTO CREDIT: Joanne Phillips
“Mental and physical health are one. Everything we do comes from the heart and a place of passion and desire to make sure that women in sport are looked after.”
If you wish to book or read about the mental health awareness sessions offered by the State of Mind Sports Charity, click the link below:
Listen to part of Jo's interview below:
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