Running and Mental Health: A Q&A with Olivia Decas
Grace Yoon, NBR Diversity Coordinator and Run Leader
Whether it’s why we started running, what keeps us running, or just an added benefit – it’s no secret that running has a positive impact on our mental health. For some NBR runners, it can be as important as the physical benefits to working out.
As Hannagh Jacobson said in a recent NBR blog, “Running is so integral now to my mental and physical health. Once you fall in love with it, nothing else really gets you to the same headspace.”
It’s almost cliche to say “running is my therapy” - but ask any good therapist - and they’ll tell you running or any other physical activity is an important part of maintaining balance, managing stress and being the best we can be.
Darren Price, one of our web coordinators, has been running since high school - and these days finds it one of the ways to manage his stressful job and think out problems in his life.
“I really feel like running has made big impacts on my entire personality,” Darren said. “When I keep up with it, I am more patient, I solve problems more quickly and I can keep things in perspective.”
To celebrate Mental Health Awareness Month this May, I sat down with Olivia Decas, a licensed therapist in NY, NJ, and MA who focuses on movement and athletes' relationships with their bodies.
In addition to individual therapy, Olivia founded The HA Project, an offshoot of Olivia Decas Therapy. The HA Project is dedicated to aiding colleges, universities, and brands in expanding their knowledge and resources to support athletes after they retire from their sports.
Grace: How did you begin this journey of starting your practice (with this type of focus)?
Olivia: I started my practice about a year ago. I was working for a healthcare start-up providing one-on-one therapy for women in their 20s and 30s. The company decided to cut the entire mental health program. I had a few friends who worked for themselves. I decided to make the jump.
I was a swimmer my entire life. I was lucky enough where I got to take my talents to the collegiate level. It was not until about 4 years ago where I started to recognize a shift in my relationship to the “athlete” identity. When you retire from your sport, you lose so much more than just that–your community, your relationship to your body and routine, your everything shifts. For many people, it is an experience similar to grief over that sport.
It feels like there is a lack of acknowledgement around this experience because people often cannot relate or the fear that it isn’t a “big enough problem.” The gap feels so much clearer the older I get and the more athletes I talk to. That is kind of how this focus came to be!
Grace: What kinds of clients do you have? Are they exclusively current/former athletes, or do you also work with folks who do athletic activities recreationally? Any specific type of sports? What do they approach you with and how do you work with them?
Olivia: I have a mix of different clients. I work with almost all women in their 20s and 30s. For the most part, a big focus of my work for athletes and non-athletes alike is life transitions, anxiety, their relationship to their bodies, and building overall confidence. In addition to clinical work, I host events for former athletes to connect with their community and explore different forms of movement and wellness.
For my athlete clients, it has been a range of different sports – lacrosse, field hockey, dance, swim, and some runners. They come to sessions facing the same challenges as other women but with the added layer of loss surrounding a key part of their identity and relationship to self, through the lens of sport.
Grace: What is something new that you discovered from your practice (that surprised you/you didn't expect)? Has it changed your own relationship with your body, wellness and fitness, if so how?
Olivia: Something that surprised me about my practice and my work is the overlap between all the women I work with. Former athlete or not, we all have difficulty connecting with ourselves in some area of life. The work I do has challenged me to practice what I preach. It has taught me to be patient and aware of my relationship with my body. It has also really helped me break down my all-or-nothing thinking that stemmed so much from my sport. There are days where my body needs different forms of movement or food and being comfortable in that fluctuation is a direct correlation of the work I do.
Grace: It seems that the running culture has blown up in the recent few years. Curious if you've noticed any similar trend in other types of sports, what do you make of it? Has that also had an influence in your practice, if so how?
Olivia: I agree! Running has become so popular. I have noticed people being drawn to running more than in the past. This year alone I know 7 people running the marathon! In previous years I could count one or two. I think so much of it is the uptick in running groups. I have not noticed it among specific other sports but I have noticed people feeling more open to joining adult rec sports. Things like softball, kickball and pickleball leagues have become popular in the last couple of years.
It has impacted my practice in the sense of having more resources to explore with clients. People crave that community aspect and running clubs have provided that in a way that feels familiar and consistent. It is a great way to meet new people, save money and do something active — the trifecta in NYC!
In a more individual sense, people have a better grasp on mental health when they feel connected to something larger and the people around them. Sports are a great way to find people with a shared goal and investment at the hobby, task, or sport at hand.
Grace: On a personal level, how has running helped you? What else do you like to do that helps with your mental health?
Olivia: When I first retired from my sport (swimming), running became a natural next step. I was still trying to figure out what and how I was going to take care of my body without swimming. Running gave me the space to set new goals and learn about myself as an athlete through an entirely new lens. The relationship I have now with running ebbs and flows. Running now helps me by providing the opportunity to connect with the outdoors. It has given me space to appreciate uninterrupted time with nature and the surroundings I might normally take for granted. There is nothing quite like waking up early and running in the park with all the spring colors and the quietness of the morning. Some personal favorites to run that always leave me feeling more connected to myself and my environment are Liberty State Park (in Jersey City) and Astoria Park (in Queens).
I find that any form of movement positively impacts my mental health. I am not talented in the arts department, so I have relied a lot on movement as a source of self-care. I love to lift weights, swim, and take long walks with my dog. When I am in a place of craving slowness, I love to curl up and read a good book.
Grace: Any piece of advice you'd like to give to runners or athletes?
Olivia: It is hard to give blanket advice when each person has such a different relationship to running or their sport. I think my favorite advice is to treat each time you engage with an activity to treat it as a new experience. Comparing yourself to your best performance or how much quicker you might have been last week removes the opportunity to connect with yourself in the present moment. For me, my mindset around movement has shifted from “What can I accomplish?” to “What can I learn about myself?”
Pay attention to the way you talk to yourself, how or why you set the goals you do, and if it aligns with the person you want to be.
