Dr. Kristin Keim on Exercise Addiction, Eating Disorders in Athletes, and the Mental Side of Sport

We have spent a considerable amount of time discussing things like exercise addiction and the mental side of sport on this podcast, but we've been searching for an expert on the subject to come talk about it from their professional perspective. After learning about Dr. Kristin Keim through some mutual friends and other podcasts, she seemed absolutely perfect for this. Dr. Keim received her doctorate in clinical psychology and her master's in sports psychology from JFK University. She’s a certified consultant in the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and is a member of the US Olympic Committee Sport Psychology and Mental Training Registry. She’s done research on traumatic brain injuries in athletes, athlete identity, depression in athletes, and the transition out of sport. Her philosophy towards working with athletes is integrative, focusing on things like meditation, motivational interviewing, stress management, and beyond. She has a history as a competitive cyclist and dancer, and has combined those experiences with skills in mental health to work with Olympians to young athletes.

We discussed so much, including:

* Her background and how her experience as an athlete has influenced her practice

* Exercise addiction, and how to address it

* Eating disorders in athletes

* Why happy racers go faster

* The traits of the most "successful" athletes she's worked with

There was so much more to talk about with Dr. Keim, so we will definitely be having a part 2 party with her (so Aaron can also attend). I really enjoyed this conversation, and hope it's valuable to you if you're an athlete or know an athlete that struggles with these things. Thank you for listening, and enjoy the show!

-Jackson

Show Notes

Connect with Dr. Keim:

http://www.keimperformanceconsulting.com/

Instagram: http://instagram.com/thek2

Twitter: http://twitter.com/thek2

Facebook: http://facebook.com/keimperformanceconsulting 

Relevant articles and resources:

Exercise Addiction: http://bit.ly/2zzlhYv

Eating Disorders/Body Image in Athletes: http://bit.ly/2zzlhYv

Related episodes:

Exercise Addiction: https://www.tfflifestyle.com/tff036

Exercise Addiction Update: https://www.tfflifestyle.com/tff074/

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