The Mental Matchup

By The Mental MatchupSociety & Culture Sports Health & Fitness Mental Health Personal Journals

The Mental Matchup episodes

August 26 Episode #199 - Morgan Maxwell DiPrimo on Building a Movement Against Eating Disorders
Morgan Maxwell DiPrimo is the Founder & CEO of ALIGN33 Media, Inc., a
national organization using documentary storytelling, public health
education, and policy work to change how eating disorders are understood
and treated in the U.S. A former NYC film and television professional (Pace
University-trained), Morgan draws on her own experience with disordered
eating and more than 300 global interviews to build ALIGN33 into a lasting
platform — not a single project, but a movement.
In this episode:
* Morgan's path into media
* Her personal story with disordered eating
* What sparked ALIGN33 and her vision for national, systemic change
Links:
Morgan's Substack here
Connect with Morgan on IG here
Connect with Morgan on LinkedIn here
Connect with ALIGN33 Media here
Note: This episode discusses disordered eating. If you're struggling, the
National Alliance for Eating Disorders helpline can help: 1-866-662-1235.
30 min
August 19 Episode #198 - Julian Bell: Your Story is Someone Else’s Survival Guide
"Your story is someone else's survival guide." That's the phrase Julian
Bell holds onto — because Morgan's story was hers.
Julian's injury story starts in 7th grade, with pain she still manages
today at 22. In this raw, unfiltered conversation, Julian opens up about
developing an eating disorder tied to that injury, the moment medical
retirement entered the conversation, her healing journey, and the road back
to rebuilding a relationship with her body, her sport, and herself.
Through it all, Morgan's story was Julian's throughline. Now, Julian is
ready to be that for someone else.
In this episode:
* Living with a chronic injury since 7th grade
* Developing an eating disorder tied to injury and identity loss
* Medical retirement and recovery
* How Morgan's story became Julian's survival guide
* Julian's vision for advocacy moving forward
Content warning: this episode discusses disordered eating and suicidal
ideation. If this episode brings up anything difficult: 988 Suicide &
Crisis Lifeline (call/text 988). You are not alone.
Connect with Julian on IG here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
Connect with Morgan’s Message here
0 min
August 12 Episode #197 - Charles Wittman, Author of The Internal Game Plan
Before he became a mental wellness advocate, Charles Wittman was an
All-American basketball player — four years at Queens University of
Charlotte, followed by a pro career in Brazil. But behind the accolades was
a private battle with depression, anxiety, and suicidal ideation that
spanned his high school, college, and post-playing years.
In this episode, Charles opens up about what it actually looked like to
compete at an elite level while struggling internally — and how those
experiences led him to write The Internal Game Plan, a guide that applies
the discipline and principles of sports to everyday emotional, physical,
and mental health.
We talk about:
* What it was like carrying mental health struggles through his career
* The moment Charles decided to turn his lived experience into a
framework for others
* How "The Internal Game Plan" helps people build clarity, resilience,
and self-awareness through consistent habits — not quick fixes
* Why Charles sees himself as an impactor, not an influencer
* Practical tools listeners can start using today to navigate their own
challenges
Charles is a father, entrepreneur, and speaker based in Los Angeles,
working with athletes, students, and professionals to help them build
systems for real, sustainable growth.
Connect with Charles on IG here
You can find The Internal Game Plan here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
Connect with Morgan’s Message here
0 min
August 05 Episode #196 - Jacqueline Friedland
This week, we're joined by Jacqueline Friedland, author of the brand-new
novel Breathing Under Water — that was released August 4!
Jackie's path wasn't a straight line: from Penn, to law school, to
practicing lawyer, to published author. We talk about that pivot — the best
parts and the hardest parts — before diving into her book, which follows
two women whose paths intersect through deeply relatable (if very
different) life experiences.
We also cover what inspired the story, including the financial pressures
faced by McKenna, a competitive swimmer, and get personal about Jackie's
author's note on her mom's decades of work with children on the autism
spectrum — and how that's shaped the way Jackie sees the world and raises
her own kids.
About the book: Breathing Under Water released August 4 and is available at
https://www.jacquelinefriedland.com/books/breathing-under-water or wherever
books are sold.
Connect with Jackie on IG here
Connect with Jackie online here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
Connect with Morgan’s Message here
0 min
July 01 Episode #195 - Emily Boyle
This week, Emily Boyle shares how a concussion during her freshman year
forced her to medically redshirt and completely reshaped her experience as
a student-athlete.
In this episode, we discuss:
1. Recovering from a season-ending concussion
2. The mental toll of being sidelined and losing your athletic identity
3. Balancing recovery, school, and life away from home
4. Finding purpose and staying connected to your team while injured
Emily's story is a reminder that even when you're unable to compete, you
still belong—and healing is about so much more than returning to play.
Connect with Emily on IG here
Learn more about Morgan’s Message here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
38 min
June 24 Episode #194 - Caitlin Walsh
This week on The Mental Matchup, we sit down with Caitlin Walsh, a former
Saint Anselm College lacrosse player whose athletic journey was shaped by
multiple knee injuries, surgeries, and ultimately the difficult decision to
medically retire from the sport she loved.
Caitlin opens up about the mental health challenges that accompanied her
recovery, including anxiety, uncertainty, and the loss of an athletic
identity she had built for years. She shares how she navigated some of the
hardest moments of her life, what helped her move forward, and why choosing
to step away from the game became the right decision for her.
In this episode, we discuss:
• The mental health impact of long-term injuries
• Navigating multiple surgeries and recoveries
• Anxiety during the rehab process
• The challenges of medically retiring from sport
• Grieving the loss of an athletic identity
• Finding purpose and confidence beyond the game
Connect with Caitlin here
Learn more about Morgan’s Message here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
36 min
June 10 Episode #193 - Hannah de Groot
This week on The Mental Matchup, we sit down with Hannah De Groot, licensed
therapist and founder of Stride Counseling, to discuss the intersection of
sport, eating disorders, OCD, and mental health.
In this episode, we explore:
* The unique pressures within sport that can impact an athlete's mental
health
* Hannah's personal recovery journey and how it inspired her to pursue
this work
* How she supports athletes through eating disorder and OCD treatment
with a compassionate, evidence-based approach
* Breaking down the stigma surrounding mental health struggles and
help-seeking in athletics
* What recovery can look like for athletes and why healing doesn't mean
giving up on your goals
Whether you're an athlete, coach, parent, or teammate, this conversation
offers insight, hope, and practical ways to better understand and support
mental health in sport.
To learn more about Stride Counseling you can visit the website here
Connect with Hannah and Stride Counseling on IG here
Learn more about Morgan’s Message here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
46 min
June 03 Episode #192 - Tiffany Yvonne Gratton
In this episode, Kat is joined by Tiffany Yvonne Gratton, who dives into
the mental side of performance and what it really takes to thrive under
pressure.
Athletes are often told to "be tough" or "stay locked in," but few are
given practical tools to navigate the realities of competition, social
media, expectations, and comparison. Tiffany shares actionable strategies
to help athletes perform at their best while protecting their mental
well-being.
Topics discussed include:
• Why building an identity beyond sport is critical for long-term success
and fulfillment
• How pressure impacts the brain, decision-making, and performance
• Practical tools athletes can use when anxiety, self-doubt, or overwhelm
show up
We also explore the Pause → Plan → Play to Win framework, a simple yet
powerful approach that helps athletes reset, regain clarity, and compete
with confidence when the pressure is on.
This conversation is a reminder that excellence and well-being are not
mutually exclusive. The goal isn't just to perform—it's to pursue greatness
without losing yourself in the process.
To learn more about Tiffany you can visit her website here
Connect with Tiffany on IG here
Learn more about Morgan’s Message here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on IG here
44 min
May 27 Episode #191 - Danny O’Connor
In this powerful episode, Kat chats with Danny O’Connor to discuss the hidden reality of eating disorders in weight-class sports and the devastating impact they can have on athletes behind the scenes.
Danny shares the story behind his memoir, WEIGHT CLASS — a raw and deeply personal account of battling an eating disorder throughout his wrestling, Olympic, and professional boxing career. In sports where extreme weight-cutting is normalized, what looked like discipline from the outside became a decades-long cycle of starvation, dehydration, purging, and silence.
Together, we discuss:
The culture of weight-cutting in sports
Why eating disorders in male athletes are so often overlooked
The mental and physical toll of silence and shame
Recovery, identity, and rebuilding life after sport
What parents, coaches, and athletes need to know
This conversation is honest, emotional, and necessary. Whether you’re an athlete, coach, parent, or someone struggling silently yourself, Danny’s story serves as both a warning and a lifeline.
You can connect with Danny on IG here
Find Danny's book here
Connect with Morgan’s Message on Instagram here
Learn more about Morgan’s Message here
Submit your story for The Mental Matchup here
45 min
May 20 Episode #190 - Matt Young
This week on The Mental Matchup, we’re joined by Matt Young — former professional footballer, endurance athlete, and performance coach focused on helping people create lasting mental and emotional change.
Matt shares how the pressures of high performance, identity struggles, and emotional challenges shaped his journey from professional sports into helping others break free from anxiety, fear, and limiting beliefs.
We talk about:
Why people stay stuck mentally and emotionally
The difference between the thinking mind and emotional mind
Masking identity and hiding from the truth
Breaking through fear, anxiety, and limiting beliefs
A powerful conversation about healing, self-awareness, and transformation.
Connect with Matt here
Matt's 5 Day Mindset Training linked here
The Power of Your Identity linked here
53 min

About The Mental Matchup

From the publisher's feed

Presented by Morgan’s Message, The Mental Matchup is a podcast focused on opening up dialogue about athlete mental health. Co-hosts Kat Zempolich and Schuyler DeBree are both former division one…

Share The Mental Matchup

Sign up to save your podcasts

The Mental Matchup

The Mental Matchup episodes

About The Mental Matchup

More shows like The Mental Matchup

That Sounds Fun with Annie F. Downs

Crime Junkie