On a chilly November morning in Boston, Al Horford sat in his car waiting to pick up his children from school.
This is a lovely contrast to the competitive environment that the general public is used to.
Two days ago, the 37-year-old Celtics center was in Memphis, Tennessee, playing against the Grizzlies.
Within 24 hours, his team will be back on its home court at TD Garden before flying to Orlando for another game.
But for now, Horford has traded in his green and white jersey for a casual orange hoodie and brown hat as he awaits the arrival of his children.
“When I’m at home, I want to be as present as possible and as focused as possible,” he told Business Insider.
Ms.
Horford said it was difficult juggling a busy work schedule while caring for her family.
He relies on his wife Amelia and his Vega to get through it all while raising their five children ( Ean, 8, Aria, 7, Ava, 5, Nova, 2, and Mila, 1).
I am.
“It’s great to have our family together,” he said.
Additionally, Horford feels obligated to his parents, former NBA player Tito Horford and sports journalist Arelis Reynoso, to ensure that they are taken care of.
Horford, who works at home security company SimplySafe, finds some peace of mind by FaceTiming his family and using apps to check on everyone’s safety through his home security system.
he said.
“The way I live my life and travel, what’s always on my mind is making sure they’re taken care of, that they’re safe, that they’re safe.
How the Celtics organization supports players’ mental health
This is a complex and common experience for people who travel frequently.
But organizations can do their part to ease the psychological burden of being separated from loved ones.
To help players, coaches, and other staff members address concerns about frequent travel, among other stressors that come with the job, the Celtics organization has announced that it will keep Candace Williams in his 2022 season on mental health grounds.
and hired as Director of Wellness.
Williams has a doctorate in philosophy in educating and supervising counselors and travels with his team to help keep everyone healthy, according to LinkedIn.
Ms Williams told BI that her role as an on-site mental health professional is similar to that of a strength coach, except she helps people “work from the neck up” rather than from the neck down.
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“I’m the person they go to to talk about a variety of topics that may impact their performance,” she said.
And helping them develop an identity that has nothing to do with being a professional athlete.
Her strategies include guided meditation, progressive muscle relaxation, breathing techniques, performance anxiety management tactics, and visualization exercises to focus your mind on the desired outcome.
She also introduced mental health counselors to teach employees self-care skills to achieve a better work-life balance.
Williams sometimes asks Celtics staff if the long distance journey has gotten easier.
She said the common reaction is that it continues to be difficult, especially if you have a family.
She implemented a simple but effective coping mechanism.
The idea was to send postcards with handwritten notes to loved ones from different cities.
“It may seem like a very small thing, but there’s meaning behind it,” Williams said.
“There’s a group of players, coaches and staff who are really looking forward to it and saying, ‘Oh, I’ve got to get the postcards, I’ve got to write notes to people in my family.
‘” Last season, Especially during long trips outside Boston, Williams had the families of players and staff members send postcards to the team.
Last season, especially during a long road trip outside Boston, Williams had the families of players and staff members send postcards to the team.
“These memories anchor her away from the hustle and bustle of her journey from city to city,” she said.
She told BI that Williams has only been with the Celtics for just over a year, but her influence is being felt.
“She’s wonderful,” he said.
“She does a good job and stays close to us and gives us tips and whatever we need at the time.
He added that the league has taken more targeted steps in recent years to improve the mental health of players and staff, a much-needed initiative for the on-the-road lifestyle.
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