About Catherine

Catherine Broadhead (Cat) is a certified Sport and Health Psychology Consultant by the Association for Applied Sport Psychology and a nationally certified counselor (NCC) by the National Board of Certified Counselors. She earned a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Sport and Health Psychology from The Adler School of Psychology in Chicago. Throughout her life, Cat has been an academic and involved in sports. Cat has always been interested in leadership and intrigued by how emotions influence learning and performance. Cat majored in psychology at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio where she is an active volunteer. She earned her Master of Elementary Education from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, the top rated education program in the country. She has taught elementary school in public, private, and charter schools, and started a gifted and talented program in a charter school. During Business School at Cornell University’s Johnson School, Cat worked for Cornell Outdoor Education’s Teambuilding Program. In the classroom and on the ropes course, Cat realized how perfectionism and anxiety influence performance. Now Cat specializes in counseling adults and children in sports and high stress situations.

Getting off to a Great Start

The beginning is the most important park of the work. – Plato Many students are beginning school at this time.  The beginning of the school year can be a daunting time, but it is an important time of the term. … Continue reading

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Progressive Muscle Relaxation is a good technique for easing anxiety.  It relaxes the mind and body by progressively tensing and relaxing muscle groups throughout the entire body.  This helps to release muscle tension and fosters mindfulness. How do you do … Continue reading

Eating Disorders

I was 14 years old when I first thought I was “fat” and started to restrict my eating.  Throughout the years, I starved myself, made myself vomit, and over-exercised.  Unfortunately, my experience is not uncommon. 10% of college women suffer … Continue reading

Dear Teenage Self

Dear Teenage Self, It saddens me to see how you hurt yourself.  There are no good reasons for you to do this.  I wish that you would take care of yourself.  Be better to yourself. Eat You think that you … Continue reading

Demystifying Depression

Major depression is one of the most common mental illnesses, affecting 6.7% (more than 16 million) of American adults.  Approximately 20 percent of teens experience depression, and between 10 to 15 percent suffer from symptoms at any one time. Depression is more than feeling … Continue reading

About Anxiety

Occasional anxiety is a normal part of life.  You might feel anxious when faced with a problem at work, before taking a test, or making an important decision. However, anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear.  For a … Continue reading

Managing Grief and Loss

Grief is a natural response to loss. It’s the emotional suffering you feel when something or someone you love is taken away.  Everyone grieves differently, and there is no time frame for the grieving process. Some emotions people grieving may experience … Continue reading

Infant Mental Health

“Infant mental health” refers to how well a child develops socially and emotionally from birth to age three.  Infants and toddlers are totally dependent upon their caregivers.  Consistent and responsive care from specific adults is critical for the adequate development … Continue reading

Understanding Drugs

What do you know about drugs? Take this quiz to test your knowledge! Different drugs do different things, but they all affect the brain. Repeated drug and alcohol use can reset the brain’s pleasure meter, so that without the drug, you feel … Continue reading