Sports, Anxiety, and Helping Kids Find Joy Again

Jul 22

In this episode of The Roots That Last, Ryan and Madeline talk with Dr. Cali Werner about sports, anxiety, OCD, perfectionism, faith, and how parents can support kids when pressure starts to steal their joy.

Cali shares part of her own story as an accomplished athlete who experienced anxiety and OCD in the middle of high-level competition. She talks about the pressure that came with success, the rituals and intrusive thoughts that began to shape her relationship with racing, and how proper diagnosis and evidence-based treatment helped her begin to find freedom.

Together, Ryan, Madeline, and Cali explore how anxiety can show up in young athletes, why reassurance can sometimes make anxiety stronger over time, and how parents and coaches can help kids develop tools for resilience without making performance the center of their identity.

In this episode, we talk about:

How anxiety can steal joy from a sport kids love
The difference between normal nerves and unhealthy anxiety
How OCD and anxiety can show up in athletes
Why getting the right diagnosis can be freeing
How parents can respond when kids feel pressure to perform
Why constant reassurance does not always help anxiety long-term
How to help kids bounce back after mistakes
Why quitting is not always the first answer when anxiety gets loud
What faith can offer kids who feel overwhelmed by pressure
How to remind children that they are more than their sport, their success, or their performance

Guest:
Dr. Cali Werner, PhD, LCSW-S, CMPC, is the founder of Athlete Rising, author of the children’s book Anxious Annie, and co-host of The Anxiety Society Podcast. Her work focuses on anxiety, OCD, mental health, and helping athletes develop freedom, resilience, and healthier ways of navigating pressure.

Resource Mentioned:
Athlete Rising: https://www.athleterising.org/

Anxious Annie: https://www.amazon.com/Anxious-Annie-Cali-Werner/dp/1665523778

The Anxiety Society Podcast: https://www.anxietysocietypodcast.com/

IOCDF P rovider Profile: https://iocdf.org/providers/werner-cali/

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