Writing & Media
Matheson EL, Varzeas KA, Wesley NY, Rowan M, Becker CB, Ackerman KE and Stewart TM (2026) “We're forced to be resilient”: exploration of prospective risk and protective factors of resilience among women athletes. Front. Sports Act. Living 8:1718372. doi: 10.3389/fspor.2026.1718372
Rowan, M., Koob, G., Varzeas, K.A., Stewart, T.M., Becker, C.B. (2025). Eating Disorders in Athletics. In: Meiselman, H.L. (eds) Handbook of Eating and Drinking. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-75388-1_198-1
Eating disorders (EDs) are all-too-common occurrences in athletic populations due to a variety of interconnected biopsychosocial contributing factors and vulnerabilities. Particularly salient to this population is the overlap between “good athlete” personality traits and ED pathology (e.g., perfectionism), which may be reinforced by the sporting environment. Sport culture greatly impacts the risk of developing disordered eating (DE) behaviors potentially creating a catalyst to a clinically diagnosable ED. Team contagion, traumatic sport experiences, competition and performance demands, difficult-to-manage training plans, athletic transitions (e.g., injuries, breaks, retirement), and body image pressures (emerging from socially prescribed body ideals both within and outside of the sport context, sexualization of the athletic body via sportswear, and media pressures) are examples of ways that sport culture can foster DE behaviors. Of concern is the consistently long period of time or failure, even by medical professionals, to notice ED presentation in athletes. This is likely due to athletes being assumed “healthy” for appearing “fit.” Combined with the high energy output of athletic training, EDs are often identified only once concerning physiological and psychological consequences and risks to the athlete’s health and performance emerge (including both those identified under the umbrella of Relative Energy Deficiency Syndrome (REDs), as well as commonly identified symptoms presenting in non-athlete clinical ED populations). This chapter addresses prevention, identification, assessment, and treatment of EDs in athletics. We outline the key evidence-based ED treatments and explore how EDs are specifically addressed in the athletic milieu.
Stewart, T. M., Wesley, N. Y., Hazzard, V. M., Varzeas, K. A., Rowan, M., & Becker, C. B. (2025). Resilience and Mental Health in Female Athletes: Identification of Associations Needed for Future Longitudinal Research. Exercise, Sport, and Movement, 3(2), e00042. DOI: 10.1249/ESM.0000000000000042
Panel Discussion on READING THE BODY: DANCE AND FILM PREMIERE ON BODY POLITIC at The New York Academy of Medicine.
M. Rowan, S.R. Sarafin, K. Willoughby, K.H.M. O’Brien. (2023). Mental Health Concerns in Athletes. In Psychological Considerations in the Young Athlete: A Multidisciplinary Approach (Ed: M.A. Christino, E.I. Pluhar, L.J. Micheli). Springer.
This chapter outlines a range of common mental health concerns, applies these to the athlete experience, and presents a series of case studies. Topics of focus include mood and anxiety conditions and concerns, obsessive-compulsive and related presentations, trauma- and stressor-related concerns, dissociative experiences in athletic pursuits, feeding and eating conditions, neurodevelopmental conditions, substance-related concerns, and suicide and self-injurious behavior, with additional sections on minority stress experiences and psychological resilience. The chapter describes how such concerns may be identified in athletes, how they impact performance, and how they may be best treated. With proper prevention, identification, and mental health support, athletes can reduce their vulnerability to mental health struggles and be more resilient so as to bounce back from all kinds of adversities, including their competitive sport environments, injuries, and beyond.
Keeping sports fun: Preventing burnout in young athletes
Posted on September 15, 2022 by Joanne Barker at Boston Children’s Hospital
Burnout — when an athlete loses interest in their sport due to physical and emotional exhaustion — causes an alarming number of kids to quit sports altogether. Sadly, these kids miss out on many benefits of athletics, including teamwork, physical agility, self-reliance, and confidence.
When your athlete has a bad day: Tips for parents
Posted on May 24, 2022 by Joanne Barker at Boston Children’s Hospital
No matter how hard they work, every athlete has bad days. Whether it’s a stumble, fumble, or outright loss, disappointment is a reality of sports. This article discusses the dos and don’ts for parents when their athlete has a bad day.
How Fitness Apps Contribute to Eating Disorders
Published: March 13, 2022 by RHJ Producer
Fitness apps can be helpful, but for some people, obsessive meal tracking helped them develop an eating disorder. Experts talk about the slippery slope of the fitness industry, and discuss proper recovery methods.
Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S): When athletes run on empty
Posted on February 16, 2022 by Joanne Barker at Boston Children’s Hospital
In 2014, the International Olympic Committee recognized this cycle as relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). Relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S) describes a syndrome of poor health and declining athletic performance that happens when athletes do not get enough fuel through food to support the energy demands of their daily lives and training. RED-S affects athletes of any gender and ability level. Energy deficiency can creep up on athletes.
McManama O’Brien KH, Rowan M, Willoughby K, Griffith K, Christino MA. Psychological Resilience in Young Female Athletes. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021; 18(16):8668. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18168668
Episode 87: Competition, Jealousy, and Rejection
Host: Ellie Kusner
“All people experience a range of emotions in life, including dancers. However, training and professional practice often ask dancers to be hardworking, perseverant, and positive—sometimes even demanding that they smile no matter how they feel. As Kate Wilson LICSW and Miriam Rowan PsyD explain, dancers can become emotionally disoriented when they don’t acknowledge their true feelings. Our guests explain the risks that come from repressing difficult feelings, and they offer insights on how to reconnect to your emotional compass.”
Podcast Episode 11: Creating space for the being mind and present moment focus
Hosts: Rachel Marchica & Nicole Testa
“Part of the growth of an artist is tolerating the uncertainties and letting there be a little more flow.”
In this episode we speak with Dr. Miriam Rowan. We discuss common mental health concerns in dancers, entering the flow state, being mind over doing mind, and finding your own self direction. Additionally, we speak about how to know if a therapist is a good fit, indications to reach out for support, and mental health resources.
Centering Through Change: Dancer Specific Strategies for Emotional Coping During COVID-19
Click here for video to learn about the pandemic's impact on our emotional needs and some strategies/resources to cope with these changes. The information shared by professional dance medicine clinicians during Boston Dance Alliance’s Dancer Health Month 2020 is not meant to replace personal instruction and care. If you have medical concerns, please consult with your clinician.
Rowan, M. & Wilson, K. (2017). Psychological Issues Facing the Injured Adolescent Dancer. In Contemporary Pediatric Sports Medicine Series: Injuries in the Young Dancer. (Ed: R. Solomon, J. Solomon & L.J. Micheli, MD). Springer.
This chapter discusses the relationship between dance injury and mental health in adolescent pre-professional dancers. It describes the dancer’s injury experience and how psychological interventions can be effective in reducing harm to a young dancer’s identity, health, and career. With psychological support, the young dancer may be able to develop adaptive coping skills, increased resilience, improved self-care, and injury prevention strategies that he or she can carry into a fulfilling professional career.
Episode 49: Differentiating and Developing a Voice within a Rigorous Dance Training Program
Host: Marissa Schaeffer
“We end DanceWell's second season by chatting with two former ballerinas turned mental health practitioners: Dr. Miriam Rowan, PsyD and Katherine (Kate) Wilson, LICSW. These women discuss identity development in the young pre-professional ballet dancer, the importance of maintaining a diversity of relationships, finding a voice and unique identity, and creating spaces to open up and self-express.”
Chirban, S. A., & Rowan, M. R. (2017). Performance Psychology in Ballet and Modern Dance. In Psychology in professional sports and the performing arts: Challenges and strategies. (Ed: R. J. Schinke & D. Hackfort). Routledge/Taylor & Francis Group.
This chapter illustrates many of the distinct cultural and psychological nuances of professional ballet and modern dancers as well as characteristic features of their training and performance experiences. Sport and performance psychology principles and concepts are considered and applied to illuminate such experiences, identify occupational challenges, and enhance dance performance.