Bowling Green State University Athletics
Mission
Mission: Student-Athlete Mental Health Services (SAMHS) strives to deliver holistic mental health and performance services to the BGSU student-athlete community through brief individual and group counseling, crisis support, mental health and performance programming, yoga and mind-body connection sessions, consultation, and care coordination.
Location
- Location: Student-Athlete Services Suite in Jerome Library
Services and Programs
In addition to individual counseling, SAMHS offers additional support options. Check them out!
• Light Therapy (PDF)
• Check out current programs, trainings, and workshops!
• Schedule a Mental Health of Mental Performance Workshop for your Team/Group!
Schedule a Session
Booking an appointment with SAMHS is quick and easy! Simply click here, enter your information, and search for an appointment that fits your schedule.
- New clients will schedule an “Intake” session.
- Intake sessions are typically 45-minutes. New clients will be asked to fill out paperwork prior to their appointment that they will receive digitally. During the intake session, your clinician will review confidentiality and the informed consent for services. During the session, your clinician will take time to get to know you as a person, learn about your current concerns, and together you will make a plan for counseling going forward if you would like to continue with services.
- Possible plans for counseling include (but are not limited to):
- Counseling sessions in SAMHS every 2, 3, 4 weeks.
- Sessions to be scheduled by you, as needed.
- Referral to other resources, such as a dietician, psychiatrist, and/or medical professionals.
- Referral to community resources for weekly or specialized mental health services.
- Returning clients will schedule a “counseling” appointment.
- Counseling appointments are available virtually and in-person.
- You may schedule a 50-minute or a 30-minute session.
- If you need immediate support due to thoughts of suicide, self-harm, or recent trauma, please book a “Crisis” session.
- Crisis appointments are 25-minutes. If you are in immediate distress, please use crisis resources.
If you would like to talk with Dr. Pecar about Sport Psychology or career questions, please book a “Drop-In" by clicking here.
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of counseling is available for athletes?
Athletes can request a 30 or 50-minute appointment. Frequency and duration of counseling will be determined on an individual basis. Counseling services are available for mental health concerns, stress management, performance concerns, and psychological skill building. Following a brief therapy model, the goal of counseling is to empower independence and provide tools and transferable skills that student-athletes can apply in their sports, academics, and personal lives.
Can you give updates or tell my coach that I am in counseling?
Due to FERPA, OH State Law, Federal Laws, and professional ethics, all interactions in counseling are confidential. For this reason, your involvement in counseling services or any other information pertaining to your involvement or lack of involvement in counseling is confidential. Athletes may sign a Release of Information, at which point we would discuss what information will be disclosed to which parties. Otherwise, your coach, athletic trainer, and/or professors, will not receive information about involvement in services.
If we are in counseling together and you come to work with my team as well, will you tell people that you know me?
Confidentiality is your right. If I am also going to provide services for your team, I will not disclose to any entity that you are receiving services. This can be discussed more in-depth in session.
How quickly can I get into counseling?
This is dependent on your availability and demand for services. Most student-athletes are able to be seen within 5 days.
What if I am having a mental health crisis?
Same day or next day crisis appointments are available during business hours. Feel free to email Dr. Dani as well dpecar@bgsu.edu. If I am not available, you can also call the On-Call Counselor in the Counseling Center during business hours (419-372-2081). Please call Wood County Crisis Line and inform your athletic trainer after hours (419-502-4673).
Can I contact you for performance concerns that aren’t mental health related?
We are also here to help with mental performance, mental skills, or stress management concerns that you have. You will often find these skills translate into school and personal life!
What if I am not sure if counseling is right for me?
If you have questions, please feel free to email me at dpecar@bgsu.edu
* Please note: E-mail is not a confidential form of communication and should never be used for counseling purposes. Please encrypt all emails for extra security by typing e!! In the subject
Resources
- Crisis Resources
- Community Resources
- Other BGSU Support Services (*confidential)
- Voluntary Research
- Check back here for current mental health and wellness research participation opportunities!
- Mental Health and Wellness Resources
Mental Health Crisis and Referral Tree
Mental Performance
Mental performance and Mental Skills Training for student-athletes is also provided through SAMHS. Dr. Pecar uses peer-reviewed, evidence-based strategies to help athletes improve their mindset and build their mental toolbox for performance excellence.
What is Mental Skills Training?
Mental Skills Training (MST) is a structured approach to improving psychological reactions and factors that contribute to performance. In others words, MST is all about the “mental game.”
As athletes, we know that our sport success is physical, mental, and strategic. MST helps to improve psychological factors that increase peak performance experiences. Some examples of mental skills that we focus on in MST include:
- Self-Talk
- Confidence
- Athletic Identity
- Performance Anxiety
- Mental Blocks/Overcoming Fear
- Mindfulness
- Imagery
- Arousal/Energy Management
- Error Recovery
- Focus/Attention
- Goal-Setting
- Performance Routines
Check out this blog from BGSU’s Sport Management!
Interested in 1-on-1 mental performance counseling? Book an appointment with Dr. Dani or clinical trainee!
Want to bring Dr. Dani in for a workshop for your team or group? Request a workshop here!
Prospective Falcons
Student-Athlete Mental Health Staff
Dr. Dani Pecar, Ed.D, LPCC-S, CMPC
Director of Student-Athlete Mental Health Services
Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, Doctor of Sport and Performance Psychology, Certified Mental Performance Consultant
dpecar@bgsu.edu
419-372-3747
Aidan D'Anna, M.A.
PhD Clinical Trainee, BGSU Psychology Program
adanna@bgsu.edu
