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When sport meets mental health. A conference on sports psychology and psychiatry was held at the Centre for Mental Rehabilitation.

11. 11. 2025

Friday, October 31, belonged to the athletes at the Center for Mental Rehabilitation (CDR). In cooperation with the Czech Olympic Committee, the conference "Sport and psyche: linking sport psychology and psychiatry for better mental health care for athletes" took place here. The meeting offered inspiring perspectives on how the world of elite sport can be linked to modern approaches to mental health.


The opening word belonged to Mgr. Lenka Kovářová, Ph.D., MBA, LL.M., Mgr. Michal Vlčková, Ph.D., and Martin Holý, M.D., MBA, who jointly introduced the aim of the conference - to create a space for dialogue between experts in the field of psychiatry, psychology and sports training. The main aim of the event was to deepen the understanding of the psychological burden of athletes and to strengthen the cooperation between medical and sports institutions.


"Within the Association of Sports Psychologists, we have long perceived that sports psychiatry is lacking in our country. The environment of elite sport is very specific and psychiatrists must try to understand it," explains sports psychologist Mgr. Kateřina Vejvodová, one of the co-organizers of the event and also a lecturer. "We would like to one day create a group of experts who will focus specifically on athletes. We would also like to gradually open up the topic of mental health more with the athletes themselves so that they are not afraid to seek help."

 

  • The morning part of the conference was dedicated to the topic of mental health in elite sport. Mgr. Veronika Čech Baláková, Ph.D., and Tereza Mládková, M.D., emphasized that behind the physical performance of athletes there is often a psychological vulnerability that needs to be taken seriously. Their presentations were followed by Gabriela Kloučková, PhDr., M.A., who presented different levels of psychological support and the importance of mental training in the work of a sports psychologist.
  • The afternoon sessions focused on the deeper connections between sport psychology, psychiatry and neuroscience. The discussion included, among others, the topics of sleep medicine and circadian rhythm disorders in athletes, as well as the use of cognitive-behavioural therapy in insomnia(David Pánek, M.D., Ph.D., Pavel Doubek, M.D., Ph.D., and Prof. Ján Praško, M.D., CSc. from CDR). Mgr. Martin Macháček together with professional athlete Barbora Havlíčková opened the issue of obstacles on the way to psychological help - especially stigmatization and fear of weakening performance.


The presentation of the joint project of AKESO and the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport of Charles University, which was presented by doc. Miroslav Petr, PhD, PhD, and Jan Hajer, MD, PhD. The project aims to systematically link health care and sports training, not only for professionals, but also for young talents.


The conference concluded with a guided tour of the CDR premises and an informal social gathering, which offered an opportunity to share experiences and make new professional contacts. The whole event confirmed that mental health is an integral part of sports performance and that bringing together professionals from different fields can make a real difference.