Lowell Lecture

A Conversation on Mental Health with the Sports Community

Date & Time

Sept. 17, 2018 at 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

Location

Suffolk University - Modern Theatre
525 Washington Street Boston, MA 02111
Driving Directions

Speaker(s)

Congressman Joe Kennedy III; Trenni Kusnierek, NBC Sports Boston sports anchor and reporter; Brad Stevens, Boston Celtics coach; Troy Brown, former New England Patriots wide receiver; Chamique Holdsclaw, former Women’s National Basketball Association player; Kevin Stevens, former National Hockey League player

Presenting Organization

Ford Hall Forum at Suffolk University

Topics

Current Affairs

Contact

Susan Spurlock (fordhallforum@suffolk.edu, (617) 994-6899)

“A Conversation on Mental Health with the Sports Community.” Congressman Joe Kennedy III and Trenni Kusnierek, NBC Sports Boston sports anchor and reporter, will co-host a forum discussion on mental health among professional athletes and the sports community. Boston Celtics coach Brad Stevens, former New England Patriots wide receiver Troy Brown, former Women’s National Basketball Association legend Chamique Holdsclaw, and former National Hockey League player Kevin Stevens will join the discussion.

Professional athletes are regarded as tough in our culture, and mental health complications are often seen as a contradiction to that narrative. Mental illness doesn’t choose who is affected, and in fact, one in five American adults experience a mental health issue in a given year, which means that professional athletes are just as susceptible as anyone else. Increasing numbers of sports stars are breaking barriers by talking about their mental health in the hopes that these very personal public testimonies will encourage others to reach out for help.

Our moderators and panelists will share personal stories and discuss efforts to remove the stigma of mental health in sports, how professional leagues and teams are addressing the issue, and what's being done on the legislative level to improve access to treatment. Audience questions will be invited.