Description

Upon completion of this conference, participants will be able to:

1. Identify and describe key performance-related stressors that contribute to anxiety and depression among professional athletes.
2. Explain how sports culture and masculinity-related stigma influence help-seeking behaviors in high-performing athletic populations.
3. Describe how Cognitive Behavioral Theory can be applied to support proactive mental health interventions in sports settings.

 

Presenter Bio

Nicolette Avery, LCSW, is a Doctoral Candidate in Social Work at the University of Kentucky, with a concentration in Sports Social Work. She holds a Master of Social Work degree and is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She is also completing the Sport Social Work Certificate through the Alliance of Social Workers in Sport in collaboration with Tulane University.

Avery currently works as a clinical social worker within an outpatient hospital setting and maintains a private psychotherapy practice, where she provides individual therapy to adults. Her clinical experience includes working with individuals experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress-related concerns, with particular attention to high-performing populations, including collegiate and professional athletes.

Her primary research interests center on the mental health effects of performance pressure in professional athletes, including the impact of media scrutiny, injury recovery, and career instability. Her doctoral capstone project examines how performance-related stressors contribute to anxiety and depression among professional athletes and explores the use of Cognitive Behavioral Theory to inform proactive, stigma-reducing mental health interventions within sports settings.

Avery’s professional interests include sports mental health advocacy, clinical practice with elite and emerging athletes, and the integration of social work principles into athletic organizations. She is committed to advancing culturally responsive, evidence-based mental health support within performance-driven environments.

 

Delivery Method: Live Interactive Training via Zoom Video Conferencing

Credit Hours: 1.0 (ACE)

Target Audience: This conference is intended for social workers and students.

Accreditation: University of Kentucky College of Social Work, Provider # 1377, is approved as an ACE provider to offer social work continuing education by the Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Approved Continuing Education (ACE) program. Regulatory boards are the final authority on courses accepted for continuing education credit. ACE provider approval period: 9/29/25-9/29/28. Social workers participating in this conference will receive up to 15 general continuing education credits.

Claiming CE Credit: Instructions for claiming CE credit will be disseminated at the beginning of each session.

Questions: If you have any questions regarding CE credit or to report a grievance, please contact Christina Krantz at Christina.Krantz@uky.edu. For technical assistance, please contact lmshelp@uky.edu.

 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in these presentations are those of the individual presenters and do not necessarily reflect the official policies or positions of the University of Kentucky or the College of Social Work. The inclusion of any topics, perspectives, or discussions is intended for academic engagement and does not constitute endorsement by the institution.