267: Athletes Aren’t Robots. Here’s What You’re Missing
This week on the Science for Sport podcast, host Richard Graves is joined by the remarkable Dr. Kristin Keim – a clinical sports psychologist, former elite cyclist, and passionate advocate for athlete mental health.
In this powerful and thought-provoking episode, Kristin takes us beyond the buzzwords of “mental toughness” and into the real, nuanced world of clinical sports psychology. From helping Olympians navigate panic attacks to supporting athletes through concussions, identity loss, and retirement, Kristin shares what really goes on behind the scenes of peak performance.
You’ll learn:
* Why no two concussions – or depressions – are ever the same
* How chronic pain changed Kristin’s life and deepened her empathy as a clinician
* The overlooked emotional challenges athletes face when their careers end
* Why “just being tough” isn’t the answer – and what real resilience looks like
* The one question every athlete and aspiring sports psychologist should ask themselves
With honesty, passion, and lived experience, Kristin busts myths around sports psychology and offers a rare window into what it truly takes to support athletes not just as performers, but as people.
About Dr Kristin Keim
Dr. Kristin Keim is a clinical and sport psychologist based in South Carolina, renowned for her work with elite athletes across endurance sports, cycling, triathlon, and MMA. A former professional cyclist, ballet dancer, and elite tennis player, she brings firsthand experience of high-performance sport to her practice. Through her company, Keim Performance Consulting, she offers a holistic, strength-based approach that integrates clinical psychology with performance science. Dr. Keim specializes in areas such as concussion recovery, performance anxiety, identity transition, and athlete mental health. Her philosophy, “Happy Racers Go Faster,” emphasizes the importance of athlete well-being as a foundation for peak performance.
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