Major League Baseball Team Sport Psychologist Appointed as Chief Psychology Officer of Collegiate Mental Health Care Program

BOCA RATON, Fla., June 15, 2023 (Newswire.com) - Collegiate Behavioral Health Associates (CBHA) is proud to appoint Dr. Jeffrey A. Fishbein, a nationally recognized sport/performance psychologist, as Chief Psychology Officer. Dr. Fishbein brings over 25 years of experience working with elite athletes - from his decades' worth of serving the Florida Marlins to his current tenure with the Chicago White Sox Baseball Organization since 2010 - alongside a deep understanding of the mental health needs of student-athletes.

Dr. Fishbein's impressive career also includes working closely with athletes as the head Sport Psychologist at Northwestern University from 2002 to 2013, helping their student-athletes improve their performance both on and off the field. Under his guidance, the university's athletes achieved numerous Big Ten and National Championships.

Despite the numerous achievements many of his clients experienced, Dr. Fishbein addressed the visceral stress, pressure, and other mental health issues student-athletes faced firsthand during his tenure. "This is a very vulnerable population," said Dr. Fishbein, "and what I found on this campus was that there were never enough providers to meet the needs of the many student-athletes requiring mental health services. These are all exemplary young adults who excel not only on the field but are also required to succeed in the classroom. These pressures, along with the typical ones all college students face, are a few of the many reasons why mental health issues have been on the rise.

As Chief Psychology Officer, Dr. Fishbein will join CBHA's mission of providing full-service mental health care to collegiate athletes, from screenings to long-term therapy on a consistent basis.

Diving further, Dr. Fishbein shared some of the alarming data present with prevalent mental health concerns and student-athletes. "On college campuses, research suggests that up to 30% of student-athletes experience mental health issues. Rates of mental exhaustion, anxiety and depression have remained two times higher than pre-pandemic rates. All these statistics are alarming and yet the resources and staff on college campuses are limited.  This is where CBHA can step in and provide supplemental mental health services for screenings, evaluations, and treatment of this population." 

The solution to this, Dr. Fishbein affirms, lies with CBHA's system. "Screening every athlete on campus four times per year is significant as it accounts for the separate 'seasons' an athlete may be in. 'In-season' vs. 'off-season' may produce a different set of symptoms that one sole screening can't pick up on. Further diagnostic evaluations and follow-up testing with a diverse network of therapists will leave no stone unturned. 

"In my two and a half decades of experience, there is no other program I am aware of with this level of thorough comprehension and commitment to the overall health and well-being of this community."

Envisioning the future of CBHA's impact, Dr. Fishbein added, "CBHA has just started making a difference on college campuses, and the impact it will have in the coming years will be substantial. To be part of the solution for years to come is the main reason I decided to bring my 25 years of experience working with top athletes in the world to CBHA."

For more information about Collegiate Behavioral Health Associates and their comprehensive, full-service mental health care program for student-athletes, please visit www.cbhamedical.com or contact Victor Torres using the information below.

Source: Collegiate Behavioral Health Associates