In football we tend to become hyper self conscious, constantly worrying what others are thinking about us, so we put on an act, a mask to hide behind. At home, we do whatever we need to distract ourself from these challenging feelings- sleep, scroll, eat, scroll, game, shop, scroll. We spend time with loved ones without spending time with them, constantly distracted by that mistake we made in training, replaying a comment made by the Gaffa, trying to ignore the niggle in our knee, narrating the next squad selection and the upcoming contract discussion - exhausting!
As professional athletes, we go to the gym to support our physical body and performance, where do we go to support our emotional growth and emotional performance? At The Changing Room we believe, as with our physical fitness, prevention is better than cure when it comes to how we show up in the world.
Joining the Changing Room shows you are prepared to do the work to ensure your emotional and mental health are as cared for as your physical health, don’t wait until you’re struggling, understand what you need and how to get it now.
The Changing Room
Super Sundays
Join us online every Sunday evening to hear how others like you experience the emotional roller coaster of football.
Weekly guests
You will hear live, how other professional footballers experience the football environment emotionally.
You are not alone.
Online community
This space is for those who play professional football only.
It is a membership community for you, influenced by you and others like you.
How does The Changing Room work?
Each Sunday evening we bring you together on line with fellow players to experience and learn how prevention is better than cure when it comes to emotional pain and injury just as it is with physical pain and injury. Log in, with your personal code, to the virtual changing room and spend an hour listening and being comforted by people like you, experiencing what you experience and knowing you are not alone on your football journey.
Why would I become a member of The Changing Room?
The Changing Room is a pioneering space for those working as pro footballers. Your football journey is unique, beset with challenges, extreme highs, deep lows, curve balls and misunderstandings. For those outside of this environment it is difficult to comprehend, empathise and offer constructive support so, The Changing Room brings you together with people who are and have been where you are to reassure, validate and offer the compassion needed to find the relief and peace necessary to achieving on and off the pitch.
What are the benefits to being a member of The Changing Room?
o You will gain an insight into the emotional football journey of others like you
o Your emotional journey will be validated and supported by others like you
o You will become more self-aware enabling you to explore and understand your emotions and how they impact on the quality of your life
o You will become more emotionally literate which can have a profound impact on your relationships, personal and professional
o You can explore questions such as; where do emotions come from, what do they mean, why do we have them, how can I understand them in order to improve my performance, does everyone feel the way I do?
How do I use The Changing Room?
Use the space by:
o Logging in on a Sunday evening to listen and support your fellow athletes.
o Requesting we use a particular scenario or challenge in the discussion, anonymously and ahead of time.
o Taking comfort from our guests and fellow members who have been where you are.
Our Philosophy
"Life brings pain, that's the nature of life. Pain is not the problem, the problem is being alone with it." Gabor Matè
At The Changing Room we believe prevention is better than cure and in relation to our emotional health, that means self awareness and emotional intelligence are key.
Are you ready to join The Changing Room?