When I was a young gymnast, my beam coach used to call me “Sprout.”
She said it was because I was little — and mighty.
In so many ways, this past year felt like Sprout.
This small but mighty practice did some powerful work in 2025.
By the numbers:
- 331 clients supported
- 100+ meaningful, life-changing outcomes reported
- A community grown from 0 to more than 2,100 people
- 5,800 individuals reached through workshops, speaking engagements, and media
- 250 pieces of free educational content published
- 25 workshops and speaking events taught and delivered
- New corporate and academic partnerships expanding whole-athlete care into broader systems
These numbers are cool to look at, but even cooler…
They matter because each one represents a person, a conversation, and a step toward more humane, athlete-centered care.
What the metrics don’t capture is how.
They don’t show:
- The athlete who learned to meet fear with compassion instead of force.
- The coach who shifted from overwhelm to empathy when supporting an athlete with trauma history.
- The couple who learned to communicate with more curiosity and less reactivity.
- The person who felt the relief of being seen, understood, and supported without being “fixed.”
This work is not about “optimizing athletes and coaches” like they are robots, or squeezing more out of already exhausted spirits.
It’s about whole-people.
It’s about nervous systems, identity, transition, and belonging.
It’s about helping athletes and high-performers stay connected to their humanity.
More than anything, 2025 was a year shaped by values.
The growth that happened was guided by:
- Community — building real, relational connection
- Curiosity — staying open to learning, instead of staying rigid
- Compassion — not only toward clients and collaborators, but to high performance spaces that have a history of being demanding and dehumanizing. Being compassionate to myself when triggered by my own memories of being a young athlete in those spaces while supporting clients and programs
- Integrity — choosing alignment over urgency
This was a year of meeting new colleagues and friends, expanding a beautiful athlete-centered community, and bringing trauma-informed, mastery-focused care into spaces that had been waiting for it — sometimes without even knowing the language yet.
This small but mighty year required staying intentional, building systems that could support deep quality, and honoring my emotional, professional, and personal reactions and needs while serving others. Afterall, if I can’t do it for myself, how can I support others in their journey?
To every athlete, former athlete, clinician, parent, coach, educator, provider, and partner who connected, collaborated, learned, or trusted me with your story this year — thank you.
You’ve made this work possible.
You’ve shaped this community.
You’ve reminded me, again and again, why this path matters.
As we move toward 2026, let’s carry forward the spirit of Sprout, and evolve together!
All the best,
Laura
A Note to You
If you’re an athlete or high-performer navigating transition, identity shifts, injury, or burnout — or a coach, clinician, or organization seeking more humane, trauma-informed approaches — you’re not alone.
You’re welcome here.
👉 Subscribe to Athlete Illuminated for weekly reflections, resources, and conversations at the intersection of sport, mental health, and whole-person care.
👉 Learn more about my work at lcollinslcsw.com
This blog is for educational and reflective purposes and is not a substitute for professional mental health care. If you or someone you love is in crisis, please contact local emergency services or call/text 988 in the U.S.
The Athlete Psychotherapist 
Leave a comment