159 | Paralympic Athlete and Mental Coach Lacey Jai Henderson on Grief, Retirement, and Growth cover art

159 | Paralympic Athlete and Mental Coach Lacey Jai Henderson on Grief, Retirement, and Growth

159 | Paralympic Athlete and Mental Coach Lacey Jai Henderson on Grief, Retirement, and Growth

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 " I think this is also what helps with the athlete transition—and even when you're dealing with injury and you're going to recover—is your relationship to the sport. Because that's what I realized: There's this feeling of loss and grief, and it's like somebody died, but at the same time, it doesn't really actually have to be like that. I've learned that sport's always gonna be in my life … but my relationship with it changes." For years, Lacey Jai Henderson found joy and purpose in sport. Not long after losing her leg to cancer at age 9, she was enthralled by the movie Bring It On, and her parents encouraged her to pursue her goals despite the obstacles. So she took gymnastics lessons, tried out for her high school cheerleading team, and made it, then continued to cheer at the collegiate level. After graduation, Lacey transitioned to para track & field, quickly setting records and making teams. Soon, she'd made a career out of elite sport. It took her all over the world—including to the Paralympics in Rio—and gave her a sense of purpose and identity. But eventually, the grind and the power struggles wore her down, and she knew it was time to move on. The retirement process was like an unraveling, she explains. On the other side, though, she's realizing just how much she learned along the way—lessons that serve her well now, in her career as a mental performance coach and a broadcaster covering the Paralympics for NBC. Resources/links: Lacey's InstagramVideo about Lacey from the Portland TimbersCindy's article in SELF about retiring Paralympians, featuring Lacey A huge thank you to LEVER Movement, the exclusive sponsor of season 9 of The Injured Athletes Club podcast! They're the creators of the LEVER system, a portable, lightweight device that attaches to a treadmill to reduce your body weight. Use the code INJURED20 to get 20% off your purchase here. You can subscribe to The Injured Athletes Club on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Audible, Amazon Music, or wherever you get your podcasts, and if you like what you hear, please leave us a rating or a review in Apple podcasts. That helps other injured athletes find the show. To access more resources for injured athletes: Buy Rebound: Train Your Mind to Bounce Back Stronger from Sports Injuries —now available as an audiobook!Buy Injured Athletes Club merchandise, including hoodies, stickers, patches, journals, mugs, hats, and gift cardsAccess webinar videos, mental rehab e-courses, and more great resources for injured athletes while supporting our workJoin The Injured Athletes Club mailing list, for news and updatesJoin The Injured Athletes Club Facebook group, for support and camaraderieLike The Injured Athletes Club Podcast Facebook page, for the latest episodesEmail us at hello@injuredathletesclub.com with questions, guest suggestions, or other feedback DISCLAIMER: This content is for educational & informational use only and & does not constitute medical advice. Do not disregard, avoid or delay obtaining medical or health related advice from your health-care professional because of something you may have heard in an episode of this podcast. You should not rely on this information as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult with a qualified medical professional for proper evaluation & treatment. Guests who speak on this podcast express their own opinions, experiences, and conclusions, and The Injured Athletes Club podcast hosts nor any company providing financial support endorses or opposes any particular treatment option discussed in the episodes of this podcast and are not responsible for any actions or inactions of listeners based on the information presented. The use of any information provided is solely at your own risk.
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