SYC 2024 Breakout: Braden Brown on Mental Health & Performance

Join Braden Brown, former athlete and mental performance expert, as he delivers an empowering talk at the 2024 Strong Youth Conference. In this presentation, Braden shares his journey from sports to mental health advocacy, highlighting the importance of resilience, neuroplasticity, and a growth mindset. Packed with actionable strategies and inspiring insights, this talk is perfect for athletes, coaches, parents, and anyone striving to unlock their potential.

Topics Covered:

• Mental performance and its impact on sports and life
• The science of neuroplasticity and how to rewire your brain
• Strategies for building confidence and overcoming setbacks
• Shifting from anxiety to excitement for peak performance
• The five pillars of confidence
  

Dr. Braden Brown is a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and serves as the Director of Mental Health and Performance for BYU’s football, women’s basketball, women’s gymnastics, and men’s and women’s swim & dive teams. Dr. Brown was a three-sport athlete in high school (football, basketball, baseball) and while at BYU, he was a four-year letterman on the football team, where he played in all 52 games of his career and tallied 41 starts at offensive tackle. He went on to play one season in the NFL before retiring due to a chronic back injury. He later received a master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from Utah State University and earned a Ph.D. in Medical Family Therapy from East Carolina University. Before joining BYU, Dr. Brown served as the Director of Mental Performance and Counseling Services for IUPUI Athletics—a Division I University in Indianapolis, Indiana. Dr. Brown has presented at various local and national conferences and his research—which focuses on the mental health and wellness of NCAA student-athletes—has been published in several academic journals.