Angel Brutus
For student-athletes of any sport, a healthy mind and body go hand in hand. Angel Brutus said this concept is a guiding principle behind her work as 黑料门大事记 Athletics鈥 director of counseling and sports psychology.
鈥淚鈥檓 passionate about the well-being of student-athletes, and I want to have a positive impact on their overall experience,鈥 she said.
Brutus鈥檚 interest in working with student-athletes stems from her years at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, where she earned bachelor鈥檚 and master鈥檚 degrees in speech-language pathology and counseling.
鈥淚 was always a go-to person for friends who were student-athletes in need of guidance,鈥 she said. 鈥淭hey felt they had to put on a face, but I created a safe space and gave them the opportunity to be authentic, so they could get the help they needed and not just on the surface level.鈥
Brutus, who holds a Ph.D. in sport and performance from the University of the Rockies in Colorado, came to 黑料门大事记 in 2018 after managing a private practice in Atlanta, Georgia. There, she provided clinical and sport performance services to individuals, teams and organizations.
鈥淪tarkville is a nice place for me and my husband to raise our three daughters,鈥 she said.
Like their peers, student-athletes enjoy a sense of independence in navigating the college experience, Brutus said. However, they also have to meet heightened responsibilities associated with athletic performance.
鈥淎thletes want to get better at their craft, and the clinical and behavioral services we provide can help them improve their ability to manage stress and anxiety, and better adjust to their role on a team,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e want to help them develop the interpersonal communication and independent thinking skills, discipline, commitment to detail and a sense of gratitude for the process, and not be so focused on the outcome.鈥
Understanding the different environments student-athletes navigate on a regular basis is an important part of Brutus鈥檚 work. Along with conducting one-on-one meetings, she visits athletic facilities to observe student-athletes鈥 interactions with coaches and other personnel during practices, strength and conditioning sessions, and rehabilitation and treatment. She also places strong emphasis on nurturing relationships with campus partners, such as the Longest Student Health Center, Department of Health Promotion and Wellness, Student Counseling Services, and the Psychology Clinic.
鈥淎nytime you deal with the human experience, it鈥檚 important to practice what you preach, so I am always working to increase my institutional knowledge and refine my skills,鈥 Brutus said. 鈥淚鈥檓 all about that team concept of working together to get better.鈥
