TBA Mission

To create a supportive, informative, and shame-reducing community at the crossroads of athletics and mental health, with a unique focus on endurance sports. The ultimate goal: empowering each other to use the strategies of our sports to overcome our mental health challenges—while at the same time, using lessons learned from overcoming mental health challenges to skyrocket performance and fulfillment in our chosen sport. 

At The Balanced Athlete, we pay particular attention to bipolar disorder, a condition that touches 1-2% of the general population and likely a higher percentage among endurance athletes. Our conversations extend beyond bipolar, embracing the full spectrum of mental health challenges including depression, anxiety, and other conditions which can disrupt an athlete’s balance and performance.

What is a Balanced Athlete?

Here, Jud gives his viewpoint.

For Parents:

As a pediatrician, I’ve seen how sport can lift a young person’s life—and how it can overwhelm it. If you’re a parent supporting a child who trains hard, feels deeply and maybe struggles quietly, you’re not alone. This space is for you, too.