Athlete Wellbeing
Confidential psychological support for elite athletes and their families.
Elite sport demands a lot. The physical pressure is visible — the psychological pressure often isn't. Performing at the highest level, managing public scrutiny, navigating injury, career transitions, and relationships under strain — all while being expected to show up, compete, and hold it together.
This page is for athletes and their families who want to learn more about me before we begin working together.
Support for Athletes
I work with elite and professional athletes on a wide range of presentations — not just performance anxiety, but the full picture of what it means to be a person in a high-performance environment.
What we might work on:
- Anxiety, stress, and performance pressure
- Identity and self-worth beyond sport
- Injury, recovery, and the psychological toll of time off
- Career transitions — deselection, retirement, or moving clubs
- Burnout and emotional exhaustion
- Trauma (including physical trauma from injury or other life experiences)
- Depression and low mood
- Relationship difficulties
- Substance use and lifestyle pressures
- Adjusting to life in the public eye
Support for Partners & Families
Life alongside an elite athlete has its own pressures that often go unacknowledged. Irregular schedules, frequent travel, public attention, and the emotional weight of supporting someone in a high-stakes career can take a real toll.
I offer individual therapy for partners and family members navigating these challenges.
Common themes for partners and families:
- Relationship strain and communication difficulties
- Managing your own identity and needs alongside a partner's career
- Parenting pressures and managing family life around sport schedules
- Perinatal and postnatal mental health (see also: Perinatal & Postnatal)
- Anxiety, burnout, and emotional exhaustion
How Referrals Work
If you’ve been referred to Mindflow through your player association or sporting body, your referral will be coordinated through their wellbeing team.
Once the referral is made, I’ll be in touch directly to introduce myself and arrange our first session.
If you have questions about your referral or what you’re entitled to, your player welfare officer is the best first point of contact.
If you’d like to access support independently outside of a referral, standard private fees apply.
Confidentiality & Independence
I operate independently — I am not employed by any club, association, or sporting organisation. My obligation is to you, not to your employer or your performance outcomes.
Everything you share is confidential, within the standard legal and ethical limits of my profession (which I'll explain clearly when we meet). Your club will not be informed that you are seeking support, or what you discuss in sessions.
You can speak freely.
About Me
I'm Sara Raby, a registered psychologist based in Carlton North, Melbourne. I work with adults across a range of presentations including trauma, anxiety, burnout, relationship difficulties, eating disorders, and life transitions.
I'm interested in the whole person — not just the presenting problem. My approach is warm, direct, and non-judgmental, and I work to understand the patterns beneath the surface rather than just addressing symptoms.
Getting Started
If you've been referred and want to ask a question before we meet, you're welcome to get in touch directly.
Location
In-person in Carlton North, Melbourne, or via Telehealth Australia-wide.
All enquiries are handled with discretion.