The Invisible Injuries of Sport:

What to Expect

• Expert perspectives on recognizing behavioral health concerns in athletes
• Clinical guidance for determining when a higher level of care may be appropriate
• Strategies for navigating treatment barriers and communicating recommendations
• Considerations for treatment, interdisciplinary care, and safe return to sport
• 1.5 continuing education credits available to qualified live attendees

UNABLE TO ATTEND LIVE?

Please register anyway. We’ll send all registrants a link to the recording after the event. Please note: continuing education credits are available only to live attendees.

EVENT AGENDA

September 29, 2026 from 2:00 to 3:30 PM Mountain

This clinical panel will explore how providers can better recognize when athletes require behavioral health support beyond the outpatient level and navigate the clinical and athlete-specific considerations involved in recommending more intensive treatment.

Discussion topics include:

• Athletic culture and clinical recognition
• Recognizing clinical concerns in athletes
• Determining the appropriate level of care
• Barriers to higher levels of care
• Communicating higher-level-of-care recommendations
• Return-to-sport considerations

Continuing Education Information

1.5 CE Credits – Provided by EDCare

CE credits will be available for psychologists and mental health professionals. Qualified participants who attend the full live virtual session will receive a certificate of attendance for 1.5 clock hours.

Please note:

• Full attendance is required; no partial credit will be awarded.
• CE credit is only available for live attendance. Watching a recording does not qualify.
• Participants are responsible for verifying with their state licensing boards whether CE credits will be accepted for their specific discipline.

EDCare has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7113. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. EDCare is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.

EDCare is approved by the American Psychological Association to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. EDCare maintains responsibility for this program and its content.

CLICK HERE to view EDCare’s Continuing Education Grievance Policy

Please email EDCare if you need any special accommodations for this event: [email protected]

THIS EVENT IS PROUDLY PRESENTED BY:

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

At the conclusion of this program, participants will be able to:

1. Analyze how athletic culture, performance expectations, and provider messaging may influence recognition of mental health concerns and contribute to delays in seeking or receiving appropriate behavioral health treatment.
2. Differentiate normative sport-related behaviors from clinically significant symptoms associated with common mental health disorders in athletes.
3. Identify clinical, behavioral, and functional indicators that support referral to higher levels of behavioral health care for athletes.
4. Evaluate barriers that may affect athletes’ engagement with higher levels of behavioral health care and identify strategies to address these barriers.
5. Demonstrate communication strategies that support treatment engagement and shared decision-making while addressing athlete-specific concerns related to identity, performance, and return to sport.
6. Evaluate multidisciplinary factors that support safe return-to-sport decision-making following intensive behavioral health treatment.

About the Moderator

Nicole Rains, MA, LPC

Director of Admissions, EDCare

Nicole Rains is a Licensed Professional Counselor who has been with EDCare since April 2018. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Minnesota Duluth. Early in her career, Nicole worked as a personal trainer and gymnastics coach, where she recognized the important connection between mental health and performance in athletic environments. This experience led her to pursue a master’s degree in Sport and Performance Psychology from the University of Denver, where she developed a strong clinical interest in eating disorder treatment, particularly among athletes.

Throughout her time at EDCare, Nicole has held several roles that reflect both her clinical expertise and dedication to supporting patients and families. She served as Supervisor of the Connections House until August 2021 and later worked as an Admissions Clinician until March 2023. During this time she contributed to the development of EDCare’s Athlete EDGE program, helping to create curriculum that supports athletes in returning to sport in a safe and sustainable way following treatment.

Following her work in Admissions, Nicole transitioned into the role of Clinical and Community Liaison for Athlete EDGE, where she focused on building relationships and providing education to providers, coaches, athletic trainers, and community partners about the unique needs of athletes in recovery. In this role, she was instrumental in increasing awareness of the Athlete EDGE program and supporting access to specialized care through March 2026.

Nicole now serves as Director of Admission at EDCare, where she leads efforts to connect individuals and families to appropriate levels of care. She remains passionate about expanding awareness, supporting referral partners, and ensuring patients have access to the care they need for long-term recovery and well-being.

About the Panelists

Danielle Burton, MD

Medical Director, EDCare

Danielle Burton, MD, is triple board-certified in Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. She earned her Doctor of Medicine from the University of Colorado School of Medicine and completed her combined Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Child & Adolescent Psychiatry residency through the Triple Board Training Program at Boston Children’s Hospital and Tufts Medical Center. She also holds a Bachelor of Arts in Dance and Chemistry from Smith College.

Prior to joining EDCare, Dr. Burton served as Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hospital Medicine and Assistant Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado. She continues to serve part-time as an Adjoint Assistant Professor of Pediatric Hospital Medicine with the University of Colorado School of Medicine and Children’s Hospital Colorado. She previously held academic appointments at Harvard Medical School and Tufts University School of Medicine.

Dr. Burton has a longstanding clinical, academic, and research interest in eating disorders, trauma-informed care, and adolescent mental health. She has presented nationally and internationally on eating disorder treatment, mental health, and athlete well-being, and has authored publications and educational content focused on eating disorders and patient-centered care.

Before pursuing medicine, Dr. Burton was a professional ballet dancer, performing with companies across the United States. Her unique background provides a deep understanding of the challenges faced by athletes, performers, and other high-achieving individuals, informing her compassionate and collaborative approach to treatment.

At EDCare, Dr. Burton works closely with the multidisciplinary team to provide individualized, evidence-based care that supports lasting recovery and overall well-being.

Courtney Messina, MA, LPC-S, LCDC

Director of Community Outreach, All Points North

Courtney Messina, MA, LPC-S, LCDC, is a licensed professional counselor in Texas and Colorado and a licensed chemical dependency counselor in Texas. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Ole Miss (University of Mississippi) and her master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from The University of Texas at Tyler.

With more than a decade of experience in the behavioral health field, Courtney has served in both direct-care and leadership roles in outpatient and residential treatment settings. She currently serves full-time as the Director of Community Outreach for All Points North, part-time as a Senior Athletics Therapist for Texas Christian University, and as a Contract Athlete Provider for the Onrise network.

A former Division I soccer player, Courtney competed at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, Texas, and at Ole Miss in Oxford, Mississippi. With her background in sport, combined with her experience as a licensed clinician, it has been genuinely rewarding for Courtney to work with collegiate and professional athletes and collaborate with dedicated providers and advocates in the athlete mental health community.

Courtney is committed to continuing her work with elite athletes and partnering with colleagues to expand access to mental health resources for athletes who may be struggling with mental health or substance use challenges.

Dre’ Johnson, LCSW-QS

Founder & Clinical Director, Wellness State LLC

Dre’ Johnson is a dually licensed clinical social worker (Florida & New York) and Qualified Supervisor who brings a rare vantage point to athlete mental health: he lived it before he treated it. A former All-American sprinter who also competed in football and basketball, Dre’ understands the pressure of performing in front of thousands, the identity built around being an athlete, and the quiet question every athlete eventually faces; who am I when the game is done.

As founder and Clinical Director of Wellness State LLC, Dre’ works with collegiate and professional athletes navigating career transition, identity, relationships, and the psychological weight of high performance.

Dre’ has presented his research on athlete mental health at the Inaugural College Athlete Mental Health Conference in Houston, examining how race, gender, and double standards shape the collegiate athletic experience. He is listed in the NFLPA Clinician Directory and continues to build a national presence supporting athletes through the parts of the journey that rarely get discussed out loud.

Adia Naba, LCSW-S

Private Practice LCSW, Clarity Therapy

Adia has more than 25 years of experience in clinical social work across diverse populations. She currently manages a private practice in the Houston, TX area specializing in the mental health and well-being of retired NFL players, bringing six years of experience working with professional football players and eight years of experience working with retired veterans with severe mental illness. Adia is a trauma-informed, EMDR-trained therapist whose clinical expertise includes depression, anxiety, trauma, grief and identity loss, chronic pain, sleep disturbance, and adjustment to life after professional sport. Her background in yoga, combined with a strong commitment to fitness and wellness, informs an integrative therapeutic approach that recognizes the connection between physical and emotional well-being. In addition to individual and group psychotherapy, Adia facilitates monthly NFL player meet-ups designed to foster community, strengthen peer connection, and reduce social isolation among retired players. She is passionate about reducing barriers to mental health treatment and strengthening collaboration and continuity of care across outpatient and higher levels of behavioral health treatment.