Meldungen

At Macromedia University’s Resilience Day on November 12, 2025, Marion Sulprizio, at the invitation of Prof. Oliver Lohmar, presented the ideas behind MentalGestärkt to students and faculty. The focus was primarily on applying lessons from competitive sports to everyday life, dealing with pressure and one’s own expectations, and describing simple tools that are well-suited for prevention to promote and maintain mental health.

On February 20, 2025, MentalGestärkt will host its third major theme day in collaboration with the Working Group for Sports Psychology (asp) at the German Sport University in Cologne. The theme: “Injuries & Mental Health.” Three keynote speeches and presentations from the fields of sports psychology and psychotherapy on the aforementioned topics will be followed by a concluding panel discussion on how to address the issue: Keynote 1: A Scientific Perspective with Prof. Dr. Jens Kleinert Keynote 2: Personal account by Olympic gymnast Elisabeth Seitz Keynote 3: Insights from medicine with Dr. Maxime Lambert and Dr. Christophe Lambert Insight: From the Perspective of Sports Psychology and Psychotherapy with Lothar Linz Panel discussion with all speakers, moderated by Dr. Moritz Anderten Participation is recognized by the Working Group for Sports Psychology (asp) with 4 continuing education credits toward maintaining enrollment in the asp Expert Database for Coaching and Training in German Competitive Sports (EDL). Target audience: Sports psychologists, sports psychology experts, (sports) psychotherapists, (sports) psychiatrists, and sports scientists, as well as interested coaches and master’s students. Date: Friday, February 20, 2026, 10 a.m.–5 p.m. in Rooms 96/97 of the NawiMed building at DSHS Cologne Cost: asp/dvs/BDP/ÖBS/SASP members: €119; interested individuals: €129; students: €99 Registration: Please contact Anja Kröger at the asp office at office@asp-sportpsychologie.org, specifying your billing address Up-to-date information is also available on Instagram at any time

This symposium was organized by the Professional Association of German Psychologists (bdp) in collaboration with the German Soccer Academy (DFB Academy) and focused on the crucial role of mental well-being in soccer. The event, tailored for psychologists and sports psychologists, highlighted the importance of the well-being of all those involved in high-performance soccer. MentalGestärkt was presented as part of a marketplace for organizations dedicated to mental health in German competitive sports. The VDV and the Robert Enke Foundation were also able to present themselves within this same framework, ensuring that participants took note of the nationwide range of services available and leading to fruitful discussions and further important networking opportunities.

On February 10, 2025, the second theme day organized by the MentalGestärkt initiative and the Working Group for Sports Psychology (asp) took place at the German Sport University. Participants were treated to an engaging program centered on the topic of “Hate Speech and Social Media.” The event was aimed at professionals and interested individuals from the fields of sports psychology, psychotherapy, psychiatry, and sports science, and provided a comprehensive insight into the effects of hateful comments in the digital space, particularly in the context of sports. In the first presentation, Assistant Professor Helga Leineweber and Dr. Marion Golenia from the University of Münster discussed the effects of social media use on adolescents’ body image and presented findings from their ComeSport project. In an interview with Marion Sulprizio and the participants, former professional tennis player Dustin Brown shared his compelling experiences with hateful comments on social media platforms and offered the group valuable insights on how to cope with such stressors. Wiebke Dierkes and Juliane Coßmann presented a workshop concept on how young athletes can best navigate social media. The interested participants were very satisfied with the content and the atmosphere of the entire theme day. The participants identified a key take-home message: not only the athletes themselves, but also their parents, coaches, and teachers must be made aware of the importance of using social media responsibly in order to strengthen their resilience. And the positive effects that the sensible use of social media can bring should not be overlooked.

Organized by Athleten Deutschland e.V., a digital discussion on mental health will be held on May 19, 2025. Under the title “More Than Muscles—Talking About Mental Challenges,” you’ll have the opportunity to share your experiences, doubts, shame, or fears. The virtual space is provided by Athleten Deutschland—you don’t need to be a member to participate. Your registration will remain confidential and is used solely to keep track of the number of participants. This event is open to all national team athletes—regardless of whether they compete in summer or winter sports. When: May 19, 2025, 7:30 p.m. Where: Zoom call Registration: Email info@athleten-deutschland.org by May 15 For more information, visit the Athleten Deutschland e. V. website.

“YOU FIRST”—a campaign that addresses mental health in competitive sports and raises awareness about mental health issues! The new “YOU FIRST” awareness campaign, launched by Daniel Müller, director of the Rhineland Olympic Sports Center (OSP), takes an in-depth look at mental health in competitive sports. Featuring prominent testimonials from athletes who openly share their own experiences with mental challenges, the campaign aims to raise awareness of the often invisible pressures faced by elite athletes and, above all, to emphasize the importance of taking care of oneself—especially in the context of pressure to succeed and perform. Two of these athletes, sabre fencer Léa Krüger and Nike Rühr, former captain of the national field hockey team, speak authentically and honestly about their experiences with this taboo topic in the “Sportstunde Special – Mental Health” episode. Marion Sulprizio, a licensed psychologist and executive director of MentalGestärkt at the German Sport University Cologne, rounds out the discussion with her expertise and contextualizes the athletes’ experiences from a psychological perspective. The podcast is hosted by Oliver Dütschke and Patric Hoch. Click here for the podcast episode Visit the “Sportstunde” website: www.sportstunde-magazin.de Visit the “DU ZUERST” campaign: https://www.sportland.nrw/du-zuerst-awareness-kampagne-im-sportlandnrw

Professional Ethics in Sports Psychology: Dilemmas and Legal Classification The Sports Psychology Section of the BDP e. V. cordially invites you to a practical online continuing education course. In the day-to-day practice of sports psychology, experts regularly face ethical and legal challenges. This continuing education course offers the opportunity to reflect on such dilemmas together and to navigate the tension between ethics and the law with even greater confidence. What to Expect: Fascinating insights into the work of experienced experts Discussions and professional exchange with colleagues Interactive group work Collaborative analysis of your own practical examples Take advantage of this safe space to share your own practical dilemmas and reflect on possible solutions together with experts and colleagues. Date: November 7, 2025 Time: 8:30 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. (12 instructional units; 6 continuing education credits recognized for the asp expert list) Location: Online (access details provided after registration) Registration and further information: HERE

On October 8, 2025, at the MixedZone event hosted by SID and Sky Deutschland in Cologne, Jens Kleinert shared with participants that mental strength is a very complex topic that affects our abilities, our mindset, and our resilience. A key message was that mental strength and mental health issues are ubiquitous and influence one another. Especially given the growing pressures of modern life, developing mental strength and addressing mental health issues require openness, support, and supportive structures. MentalGestärkt is an initiative designed to support athletes and coaches in this regard.

Organized by Athleten Deutschland e.V., a digital discussion on mental health will be held on two dates in August. Under the title “More Than Muscles—Talking About Mental Challenges,” you can share your experiences, doubts, feelings of shame, or fears. The virtual space is provided by Athleten Deutschland—you don’t need to be a member to participate. Your registration will remain confidential and is used solely to keep track of the number of participants. This event is open to German Olympic, Paralympic, non-Olympic, and Deaflympic national team athletes—regardless of discipline or season (summer and winter sports). When: for female athletes on August 14, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. for male athletes on August 18, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. Where: Zoom call Registration: Email info@athleten-deutschland.org by August 8 For more information, visit the Athleten Deutschland e. V. website.

On July 4, 2025, at the “Träumen lohnt sich” camp—organized by the Träumen-lohnt-sich Foundation by Robin Gosens and the DFB Sepp Herberger Foundation—Marion Sulprizio gave an engaging presentation to 26 young soccer players on the topic of “Mental Health in Competitive Sports,” explaining what mental illnesses are, how they develop, and that competitive athletes are also affected by them. The young athletes were also shown who they can turn to with problems and where they can get help and support. The MentalGestärkt network now includes over 300 sports psychology experts as well as 20 child and adolescent psychotherapists and psychiatrists who are available to help young athletes.