logo
episode-header-image
Jan 2020
28m 33s

Theo Fleury

American Public Media
About this episode

Theo Fleury hit the ice at age five. He was a hockey phenom at 14, a Stanley Cup champion at 20 and an Olympic gold medalist at 33. He was also keeping a terrible secret. As a teen, he was sexually assaulted by one of his coaches. Hockey became an escape, but it couldn’t fix everything; he faced addiction and suicidal thoughts. Today, Theo is sober, and he talks with host Chamique Holdsclaw about what it took to get there.


You can follow us on Twitter and Instagram using @Tremendous_Pod. Find us on Facebook at Facebook.com/TremendousPod. You can follow Chamique Holdsclaw on Twitter and Instagram using @Chold1.


Tremendous Upside is powered by you. Support the show with a donation at tremendousupside.org/donate.


Visit MakeItOK.org to get resources, tips for talking about mental health, and more.


If you or anyone you know is struggling, there's help available, any time. It's free and you'll reach a trained volunteer. You can text the word HOME to 741-741, or call 1-800-273-TALK.


Check out our sponsors this week:


Bevel - getbevel.com/upside



Up next
Feb 2020
Brian Dawkins
When Brian Dawkins was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, he took the stage in front of tens of thousands of fans -- and he got personal. He used his speech to talk about his struggle with depression and suicidal thoughts. Dawkins talks with host Chamique Holdsclaw abou ... Show More
31m 40s
Feb 2020
Kenny Anderson
As Kenny Anderson says, "Basketball is easy. Life is hard.” Kenny was one of the best high school basketball players of all time, but his early success hid the trauma of his childhood. Now retired from the NBA, he talks to host Chamique Holdsclaw about how he went from trying to ... Show More
27m 54s
Feb 2020
Suzy Favor Hamilton
Suzy Favor Hamilton once clocked in as the fastest female middle-distance runner in the world. But after an epic fall on the track at the 2000 Olympics, her career was over. She worked to build a life outside of running, but struggled with undiagnosed bipolar disorder. Her privat ... Show More
29m 25s
Recommended Episodes
Oct 2025
Make Vulnerability Your Superpower (with NBA star Kevin Love)
Not many elite athletes talk openly about mental health, but five-time NBA All-Star Kevin Love is changing that. After a very public panic attack on the basketball court he was told to "snap out of it". But Kevin decided to discuss his "dark moments" of anxiety and depression and ... Show More
37m 7s
Nov 2020
Kevin Love on Trying to Achieve His Way Out of Depression
For a long time, the NBA star hid his battle with mental health. But after a very public panic attack in 2017, he started speaking out. Love talks with host Morra Aarons-Mele about role modeling openness about mental health, how he manages his social anxiety as a celebrity, and w ... Show More
37m 40s
Jan 2023
What Athletes Teach Us About Mental Health
Most offices are rife with sports metaphors, from hitting the target to being a team player. There’s a lot we can learn from athletes and those who train them about performance and mental health. And high-profile athletes from Michael Phelps to Simone Biles have contributed to th ... Show More
1 h
Oct 2020
The Importance of Mental Health with Planet Fitness CEO C. Victor Brick
Team No Excuses presents The Ray Lewis Show! Ray Lewis & John Brenkus discuss Dak Prescott's season ending injury ankle injury, Alex Smith's return, the traumatizing effects injuries can have on athletes, and the foundational keys to fortifying your mental health! PLUS, Ray & Joh ... Show More
49m 21s
Sep 2020
SelfWork: You Get the Gist... Kudos to Athletes Challenging Stigma
Today I’m starting some segments that will feature what’s going on in the news about mental health. I’ll touch on my thoughts and responses - So you’ll get the gist. Less than five minutes and hopefully packed with information. Today’s You Get the Gist is about the recent athlete ... Show More
4m 34s
Jan 2024
“You See Flashes of Really Deep Emotion in the Heat of These Competitions”
What can we learn about performance and mental health from professional athletes? As we start a new year off, Morra Aarons-Mele revisits her conversations with sports and performance psychologist Alex Auerbach, who works with the Toronto Raptors; and with former NFL star Ryan Mun ... Show More
1 h
Jan 2023
Episode 141: Trials & Tribulations of Hot Yoga
It’s a loaded episode of Calm Down with Erin and Charissa as they dive in on a crazy Wildcard Weekend in the NFL. Charissa explains why she wants to start focusing on the positives in life and why it might be time to stop investigating the love life of a high profile rapper. Mean ... Show More
33m 32s