Our mission at U.S. Ski & Snowboard is to empower athletes to achieve excellence, including providing the resources and tools necessary to ensure mental well being.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard is fortunate enough to have USOPC Sr. Sport Psychologist Alex Cohen embedded within the organization, which lowers the barrier for athletes to seek out necessary support systems. We continue to leverage the growing resources available to us by the USOPC. We understand that there is always room for improvement and we are working to broaden our education and outreach to increase awareness, reduce stigma, and provide the tools and ability to seek resources when needed.

If you are a U.S. Ski & Snowboard athlete, member, or staff, and feel you need support or would like to talk, don’t hesitate to reach out to USOPC Sr. Sport Psychologist Alexander Cohen or Sports Medicine Director & Lead Physical Therapist Gillian Bower as a resource.

Alexander Cohen, Ph.D., CMPC
Sr. Sport Psychologist
United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee
alexander.cohen@usoc.org
(M) +1 719-216-6376

Gillian Bower DPT, SCS
Sports Medicine Director & Lead Physical Therapist
U.S. Ski & Snowboard
gillian.bower@usskiandsnowboard.org
M: +1 (435)-640-8522

Urgent Support

Experiencing An Urgent Mental Health Issue?

If you or someone you know is experiencing an urgent mental health issue, we encourage you to text HOME to 741741, or call (800) 273-8255 to speak to a trained mental health responder. In the process of helping yourself, you may be inspiring courage in others to seek help as well.

Do you know someone in need of Mental Health Support?

Visit qprinstitute.com for three steps anyone can learn to help present suicide (Question, Persuade, and Refer). Whether you or your organization would like to learn more about training opportunities, the QPR Insitute can help. 

The QPR mission is to reduce suicidal behaviors and save lives by providing innovative, practical and proven suicide prevention training. The signs of crisis are all around us. We believe that quality education empowers all people, regardless of their background, to make a positive difference in the life of someone they know.

USOPC Mental Health Resources 

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee is committed to promoting sustained well-being for Team USA athletes. More than ever, it is critical that we empower those who are in need to seek assistance, while proactively delivering mental health resources and services.   

For elite athletes, a healthy mindset includes balance, self-exploration, supportive relationships and a post-competition transition plan. With guidance from our dedicated team of medical and sport psychology providers, our external Mental Health Taskforce and Mental Health Officers, and collaboration with other industry leaders and sport organizations, the USOPC strives to be a trusted resource in this area. 

Together, the Team USA community is raising awareness around mental health, educating athletes – and our broader U.S. Olympic and Paralympic community – on available resources and empowering those in need to seek assistance.  

Visit TeamUSA.org/MentalHealth for more information and a comprehensive list of resources. 

Additional Mental Health Resources

• The Speedy Foundation: https://www.thespeedyfoundation.org    
• Michael Phelps Foundation: https://michaelphelpsfoundation.org 
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org  
• American Foundation for Suicide Prevention: https://afsp.org 
• Crisis Text Line: https://www.crisistextline.org  
• Mental Health First Aid https://www.mentalhealthfirstaid.org