A consulting collective

The Counsel

Whole Athlete Collective

A consulting collective for athletes, families, and programs — building the person underneath the performance.

2×

Share of NCAA athlete deaths by suicide doubled, from 7.6% to 15.3%, between 2002–12 and 2012–22

+32%

Rise in suicide rate among male NCAA athletes every 5 years, 2002–2022

35%

of women’s-sports athletes feel mentally exhausted constantly or most every day (men: 16%)

29%

of women’s-sports athletes feel overwhelming anxiety constantly or most every day (men: 9%)

Sources: Whelan et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2024; NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study, 2022–23 (23,272 athletes). If you or someone you know is struggling, call or text 988.

The Collective

Sport asks everything of an athlete. Somebody has to ask about the athlete.

The Counsel is a collective of clinicians, performance consultants, and former athletes who work the layer underneath the scoreboard. We are hired by families, programs, and athletic departments who have realized that talent is not the constraint — the person carrying it is.

Every engagement starts the same way: we listen longer than expected, we name what is actually happening, and we build something the athlete can keep.

◆

Identity

Who are you when the jersey comes off? We separate self-worth from stat lines so athletes can compete free.

◈

Mental Performance

Pressure protocols, pre-game routines, and recovery language that hold up in the fourth quarter.

◉

Family & Support

The people in the stands matter. We coach parents, guardians, and partners to support without adding weight.

◐

Transition & Legacy

Recruiting, NIL, injury, retirement. We build the plan for the chapter after the one they are in.

Inside-Out programs

Inside-Out

Inside-Out is a set of evidence-based wellness programs. Each one takes its own approach to wellness and is designed for a different group of people: student-athletes, the coaches and staff around them, and individuals, families and communities ready to heal how they connect with others.

“The quality of an athlete’s outer performance is ultimately determined by the quality of their inner life.”

Student-Athlete Consultation

Designed for student-athletes at the collegiate and elite high school level

Approach A 10-session curriculum that builds communication skills, identity resilience, emotional regulation, affirmation practices, and conflict resolution capacity

Coach Wellness Track

Designed for coaching staffs and athletic staff

Approach Four quarterly 3-hour workshops and a Mindfulness Moments library that coaches run inside existing practice and game-day structures

Interpersonal Healing Solutions

Designed for individuals, couples and families, community groups, professionals and organizations

Approach A 10-week evidence-based program on healthy interpersonal communication, affirmation practices, and healing from emotional injuries

Presenter in front of a slide titled The Game Plan with student-athletes seated

Student-Athlete Consultation

An evidence-based wellness partnership program designed for athletic departments, coaching staffs, and student-athletes at the collegiate and elite high school level.

Designed for

Student-athletes at the collegiate and elite high school level
Athletic departments and coaching staffs

How it works

10 sessions, delivered in 20 to 90 minute formats adaptable to your scheduling needs
It maps onto what already exists: team meetings, film sessions, locker rooms, bus rides, pre-practice time, and post-game debrief windows
Pairs with the Coach Wellness Track, so athletes and coaches share one language

What student-athletes build

Identity resilience: a durable sense of self that outlasts the athletic career and withstands the pressures of competitive sport
Communication skills: NVC-based ability to express needs, feelings, and requests without aggression or shutdown
Conflict competence: practical tools for navigating team conflict, coach-athlete conflict, and post-career relationship challenges
Emotional regulation: box breathing, STOP practice, and mindfulness-based techniques that improve performance under pressure
Affirmation practice: a daily self-affirmation ritual grounded in clinical research
Life Triumphant Declaration: a written, witnessed statement of who each athlete is becoming beyond sport

See the session themes

Orientation The Threshold: Team Covenant and Wellness Baseline
Session 1 The Inner Game: Identity Beyond Performance
Session 2 How Sport Shapes Us: Communication Patterns
Session 3 Speak Your Needs: NVC OFNR Model
Session 4 Conflict Without the Horsemen: Antidotes
Session 5 Affirmations: Speak Life After the Whistle
Session 6 Strengths-Based Conflict Resolution
Session 7 Healing Emotional Injuries from the Game
Session 8 DBT Skills for Athletes
Session 9 Restorative Conversations: Repair After Rupture
Session 10 The Life Triumphant: Declaration and Covenant

Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr. speaking to a college football team in their team room

Coach Wellness Track and Implementation Guide

Four quarterly 3-hour workshops for coaching staff, equipping them with practical wellness tools: Mindfulness Moments, affirmation practices, and restorative communication skills that integrate seamlessly into existing athletic rhythms.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, making the fractures the most beautiful part of the vessel. Inside Out is built on the same principle: your athletes’ wounds are not disqualifying. They are the gold.

Designed for

Coaching staffs and athletic staff
Coaches who care deeply but are already stretched to capacity
No clinical training required: the tools are simple, time-efficient, evidence-based, and deeply human

Inside the Coach Implementation Guide

A Mindfulness Moments Library: quick 2 to 10 minute practices for before practice, after games, in film sessions, on the bus, or in team meetings
A Weekly Wellness Integration Calendar: a simple map of how to embed wellness touchpoints into what you are already doing
A Session-by-Session Coach Reference: what your athletes are working on in each session and how you can reinforce it
Five daily practices: Daily Affirmation, Intention Setting, The Gift of Giving, Daily Connection, and Gratitude Close

Four workshops, one for each part of the season

Q1 · Pre-SeasonCommunication and Culture Setting3 hours

Q2 · Mid-SeasonConflict Competence Under Pressure3 hours

Q3 · Post-SeasonHealing and Restorative Leadership3 hours

Q4 · Off-SeasonSustainable Coaching and The Life Triumphant3 hours

The Mindfulness Moments Library

15+ brief practices organized by context: pre-practice, mid-practice, post-practice, post-game win, post-game loss, film session, travel, and team meeting. Each practice takes 2 to 10 minutes, requires no clinical training, and is designed to be run by coaches within existing athletic structures.

Box Breathing Reset 4 minIntention Arrow 3 minThree Things True 3 minSTOP Practice 2 minEnergy Check 2 minGratitude Spotlight 4 minThe Witness Circle 6 minThe Hold 8 minThe Reset 10 minFilm Room Intention 2 minThe Letter Forward 8 minSilent Presence Window 5 min

What coaches and staff take away

Evidence-based communication tools that improve athlete reception of feedback, without requiring clinical training
A complete Mindfulness Moments library that integrates wellness into existing practice structures
Restorative communication skills for navigating post-game conflict, season-ending loss, and athlete injury
Personal wellness architecture for sustainable coaching
A shared language with athletes for character, identity, and whole-person development

What athletic departments gain

NCAA Mental Health Best Practices compliance documentation: structured, evidence-based, and deliverable
Team culture data: pre- and post-program wellness baseline assessments, documented outcomes
Coach retention through sustainable leadership development that addresses the burnout epidemic directly

A group of six people gathered around a small round table in a bright cafe with large windows, in black and white

Interpersonal Healing Solutions

“Heal the relationship. Heal the self.”

A 10-week evidence-based program focused on healthy interpersonal communication skills, affirmation practices, and healing from emotional injuries, with a strengths-based approach to conflict resolution.

Most people were never taught how to communicate their needs without blame, navigate conflict without shutdown or escalation, or repair the relational wounds that accumulate across a lifetime. Communication skills are assumed, not taught.

Who this program serves

Individuals seeking to heal from emotional injuries in past or current relationships
Couples and families navigating communication breakdown, conflict, and disconnection
Community groups, faith communities, and peer support groups
Mental health professionals seeking CEU-eligible communication and conflict resolution training
Organizations seeking to build relational communication competence and conflict resolution capacity

How it is delivered

Group sessions: 90 minutes each, 11 sessions over the 10-week program
Couples and Family Intensive: 3-day residential or 6-session format
Community settings: faith, workforce, or community
Professional CEU training: for LPCs, counselors, coaches, facilitators
Keynote and Workshop: community, campus, conference settings

The approach

Grounded in Nonviolent Communication, the Gottman Method, DBT Interpersonal Effectiveness, Interpersonal Therapy, Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and Restorative Practices. Evidence-based. Clinically grounded. Deeply human.

What participants learn to do

Communicate observations, feelings, needs, and requests clearly without blame or judgment
Recognize and interrupt the Four Horsemen (criticism, contempt, defensiveness, stonewalling) before they destroy what matters
Use affirmations clinically to heal emotional injuries and rebuild self-worth at the relational root
Navigate conflict using DEAR MAN, GIVE, and FAST, meeting needs while preserving relationships
Engage in restorative conversations that repair rupture without re-traumatizing either party
Build a strengths-based, solution-focused conflict practice that creates connection, not depletion

See the session themes

Orientation The Threshold: Mapping Your Relational Landscape
Week 1 The Roots of Relational Patterns
Week 2 Nonviolent Communication: The OFNR Model
Week 3 The Four Horsemen and Their Antidotes
Week 4 Affirmations as Relational Practice
Week 5 DBT Interpersonal Skills: DEAR MAN, GIVE, FAST
Week 6 Strengths-Based Conflict Resolution
Week 7 Healing Emotional Injuries: IPT Framework
Week 8 Restorative Conversations: Repair After Rupture
Week 9 Motivational Interviewing for Connection: OARS
Week 10 The Relational Life Triumphant: Covenant and Commitment

Daily practice. Each session reinforces four daily practices: Daily Affirmation, Spiritual/Existential Intention, The Gift of Giving, and Daily Connection.

Find the right fit

Every engagement begins with a complimentary consultation to align the program with your goals, culture, and audience. All programs are customizable to your organizational context.

What athletes are telling us

Comfortable talking with coaches about mental health (men / women)54% / 40%

Women’s-sports athletes who say coaches care about their mental well-being (down from 70% in 2019)59%

Would feel comfortable seeking support from a campus mental health provider (men / women)68% / 69%

Felt so depressed it was hard to function, constantly or most every day (men / women)3% / 7%

Sources: NCAA Student-Athlete Health and Wellness Study, 2022–23; NCAA news release (coach comfort figures).

The Consultants

People who have been in the room

Former professional and semi-pro athletes who have carried what your athlete is carrying — on the field and after it.

Founder

Dr. Tim Massaquoi, LPC

Founder & Lead Consultant · Former NFL Tight End

Tim played tight end at the University of Michigan, earning first-team All-Big Ten honors, before being drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 2006 NFL Draft and going on to play for the Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills. After football, he built a second career as a psychotherapist, earning his master's in Counseling Psychology from Eastern University and becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor. He is the Executive Director of the Kingsessing Heals Community Resilience Center, a trauma-informed community wellness organization in Southwest Philadelphia, and runs Peace In Mind LLC, his private practice, using person-centered therapy, mindfulness, and DBT. Sixteen years into a career spanning the NFL and clinical mental health work, Tim founded The Counsel to bring that same person-centered, trauma-informed approach to athletes navigating identity, pressure, and transition.

Prof Robert Douglas, LMFT, LPC, NCC

Consultant · Super Bowl XLII Champion

Undrafted out of Memphis, Douglas played fullback for the Tennessee Titans, Houston Texans, and New York Giants, winning Super Bowl XLII with New York. He speaks to the grind of the practice squad and what it takes to reach the mountaintop.

Dewell Brewer

Consultant · Running Back, Indianapolis Colts

A four-year letterman at Oklahoma, Brewer played running back for the Indianapolis Colts after time in the Chicago Bears and Carolina Panthers organizations. He now runs a counseling-focused practice supporting athletes after the game.

Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr.

Consultant · Defensive End, Atlanta Falcons

A fourth-round pick out of Richmond, Sidbury spent four seasons rushing the passer for the Atlanta Falcons before closing his career with the Colts and Buccaneers. He understands the toll of staying ready for a role that can change overnight.

Brandon Shippen

Consultant · NFL Players Association

A converted defensive back out of Temple, Shippen spent years on NFL rosters with the Dolphins, Rams, Chiefs, and Titans before moving into player advocacy. He now works with the NFLPA, guiding athletes through the business side of the game.

Dominique Easley

Consultant · Super Bowl XLIX Champion

A first-round pick of the New England Patriots in 2014, Easley won Super Bowl XLIX before closing his career with the Los Angeles Rams. He has been candid about the toll of the league and founded The Easley Foundation to support athletes' mental health and family stability.

Dr. Kareem McKenzie

Consultant · Two-Time Super Bowl Champion (XLII, XLVI)

An Academic All-Big Ten selection at Penn State, McKenzie played 11 NFL seasons with the New York Jets and New York Giants, winning Super Bowls XLII and XLVI and serving as an NFLPA union representative. He was the Giants' 2010 Man of the Year. He earned a master's in professional counseling from William Paterson University and a PhD in counselor education and supervision from Kean University, and spent years counseling adolescents and families in substance use treatment.

Anthony Johnson, LMHC

Consultant · 11 NFL Seasons · Licensed Mental Health Counselor

A Notre Dame psychology graduate who played four years for the Fighting Irish, Johnson spent 11 seasons in the NFL with the Colts, Jets, Bears, Panthers, and Jaguars. He then served 15 years as the Athletes in Action chaplain to the Jacksonville Jaguars, supporting players, coaches, staff, and their families. He earned a master's in counseling from Concordia University Irvine and now runs his own practice, Acacia Counseling, as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor.

Dr. Fernandus Vinson, LPC

Consultant · Safety, Cincinnati Bengals

A seventh-round pick out of NC State, Vinson played four NFL seasons at safety for the Cincinnati Bengals. He brings a defensive back's film-room discipline to every conversation.

Leo Sullivan

Consultant · Arena Football League & Semi-Pro

A Division I player at Stony Brook who went on to play in the Arena Football League, Sullivan faced a career-ending knee injury and the depression that followed. He holds master's degrees in mental health counseling from NYU and liberal arts from Stony Brook, and co-founded The Mental Health Initiative for Athletes.

In the Room

Workshops, talks, and the people who were there

Moments from schools, community events, and panels where members of The Counsel have spoken with athletes, families, and the programs that support them.

Workshops & talks

Where the work happens

Stages, classrooms, panels, and small circles. Every room is a chance to talk about the person underneath the performance.

Tim Massaquoi speaking on stage in front of a screen showing his name — Dr. Tim Massaquoi, LPCMain stage keynote

Small group of men talking around a coffee table — Small-group conversationA circle of chairs and an honest conversation, away from the field.

Four panelists seated on stools in a plant-filled shop — Community panelFour panelists sharing their stories with a neighborhood audience.

Speaker holding a microphone on a panel — Panel conversationOn stage, speaking to what athletes carry after the game.

Presenter beside a slide titled What is Agency — What is agency?Helping athletes see the choices they still have when the game feels out of their control.

Four men in conversation around a small table — RoundtableFormer players comparing notes on transition and support.

Presenter gesturing toward a slide beside an American flag — Training sessionInteractive training with community partners.

Two presenters beside a slide about agency and identity for student-athletes — Agency and identityThe Importance of Agency and Identity for Mental Health of Student-Athletes.

Small group talking in an office after an event — After the sessionThe conversations that keep going once the talk is over.

Two men with conference lanyards standing in a crowd — ConferenceListening in on the next generation of athletes and advocates.

From past events

Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr. on the mic

Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr. speaking with a microphone on a conference stage — Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr.Conference stage

Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr. presenting Team DNA Development to a seated audience — Dr. Lawrence Sidbury Jr.Team DNA Development

Bring The Counsel to your program

Workshops and talks for teams, schools, and athletic departments.

Start here

Tell us a little about yourself and what's going on. We'll reply within 2 business days to set up a free 20-minute first conversation.

Share your story in the form
Talk with us on a free 20-minute call
Get a plan that fits you or your program

hello@thecounselwac.com

For programs & athletic departments

partnerships@thecounselwac.com

I am a...

Your name

Phone (optional)

Sport

Competition level

Is the athlete under 18?

No Yes

Organization or school

Number of athletes

What are you interested in?

Inside-Out cohort 1:1 consulting Team workshop or talk Family support Program consulting Not sure yet

What's going on? (a few sentences is plenty)

When would you like to start?

How did you hear about us?

In crisis or worried about someone's safety? Call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) or call 911. This form is not monitored around the clock.

We reply within 2 business days.