Balancing School, Sports, and Recovery: A Guide for NJ Athletes Starting the School Year with Eating Disorder Therapy Support
Starting the school year can be challenging for many students, as the nerves set in about studying, getting up early, and having a new schedule. However, student athletes have their own unique pressures around starting the school year, especially when in recovery from an eating disorder. The importance of having a steady support network during this time that understands both performance and recovery is vital during this transition. In this blog, we will discuss how to navigate challenges and how eating disorder therapy for athletes in NJ can help.
The Triathlon of Teen Life: School, Sports, and Recovery
Juggling practices, schoolwork, and therapy can be a lot. Time is limited as a student athlete, and taking advantage of every second is important. However, this can lead to emotional overload. Competing priorities can cause guilt or anxiety. For example, a high school swimmer struggling to balance early morning practices with a full class schedule and afternoon therapy may struggle to find time to study, do homework, or even when to eat breakfast.
Setting Boundaries That Support Healing
In order to balance priorities, it is important to be able to set boundaries with your supports. Communicating your needs to coaches, peers, and yourself is at the top of that list. This may look like communicating needing a rest day with coaches, learning how to handle triggering conversations around food, body, or performance with peers, and reminding yourself that rest and nourishment are as important as training.
Collaborating with Your Support System
Having everyone on the same page can be extremely important for recovery during transitions. Keeping parents or guardians in the loop about therapy goals and school pressures will help set expectations for what they can expect from you in the home. Sometimes accommodations are needed at school, such as meal support or missed classes due to therapy. This makes communication with teachers and school counselors extra important, in order to bring them into your team of supports. Helping educate coaches on your boundaries without disclosing more than you are comfortable with can be tricky. However, making sure they know the importance of rest days, refueling, and where your priorities lie is going to help reduce pressure you may feel to shift your priority of recovery.
Tools to Manage Triggers During the School Year
Your eating disorder therapist and registered dietitian are there to help you find tools that work for you, but here are a few that I find to be helpful for many folks!
Lunchroom Anxiety
Anxiety may be high at lunchtime for many different reasons, such as eating in front of others, challenging food choices, not having your usual supports, and much more. Sometimes it is helpful to schedule lunch with a trusted support, such as a school counselor, nurse, favorite teacher, or friend. This takes extra communication and coordination. When eating lunch in the lunchroom, having someone that you can talk to or just knows what you are struggling with can be helpful. Have a list of affirmations or grounding tools to practice during your meals that may not feel obvious to those around you.
Sports Nutrition Myths
Myths are everywhere when it comes to nutrition and sports. Challenging the misinformation that comes your way from teammates or social media is so incredibly valuable. You can challenge these by working closely with a dietitian who specializes in crushing diet culture!
Busy Schedules
Pre-planning your meals and snacks in order to stay nourished and fueled is key. The busy schedule of a student athlete is no joke. Being a successful athlete means fueling your body appropriately, which takes planning and preparation!
Redefining Success as a Student Athlete in Recovery
Shifting your thoughts around success is something you learn throughout recovery. As an athlete, success is often defined through performance and winning. By working to define your identity from performance-based to values-based, you are shifting self-worth away from how you perform on the field.
Creating sustainable goals by focusing on longevity in sport and health helps you build recovery-oriented successes. Celebrating these milestones in recovery makes winning beyond competition. An example of this may look like a basketball player focusing on teamwork and consistency over points scored.
How an Eating Disorder Therapist in New Jersey Can Help
Working with an eating disorder therapist can be a powerful part of your training, not something that holds you back. Sessions can become a cornerstone of finding your peak performance, helping you build mental strength, emotional resilience, and a more sustainable relationship with your sport. Therapy is a strategy, not a setback. Mental health challenges often become more intense during times of transition, such as a new season, moving up in competition level, adjusting to a new team or coach, or balancing school demands. These moments can create pressure, uncertainty, and even identity shifts. A therapist provides a structured, supportive space to navigate these changes while staying connected to your recovery goals. For example, weekly therapy appointments can help you fine-tune a pre-game routine that supports recovery rather than sabotages it. Whether this means fueling consistently, grounding your mindset, or managing comparison, your therapist will be there to help.
Beyond individual coping skills, therapy can also support you through better communication with coaches, teammates, and family members. They can help you advocate for your needs both on and off the field. Working with a therapist who understands both athletic culture and eating disorder recovery means you don’t have to choose between mental health and your sport. You can pursue both, with support tailored to your own unique path and goals.
Cultivating Your Athletic Goals
Athletes and their families can view therapy not as something separate from sport, but rather as an essential part of a sustainable, thriving athletic journey. Just as strength training, rest, and nutrition are vital to performance, mental health support is equally important, especially when navigating the complexities of recovery. Eating disorder therapy offers tools to manage stress, perfectionism, and disordered eating patterns in ways that honor both the athlete and the whole person behind the sport. Recovery is possible, even during a demanding and busy school year. Seeking support doesn't mean stepping away from goals; it means moving towards them with greater clarity and resilience. At Serendipity Counseling Services, we offer professional support that makes that path smoother and helps athletes learn to thrive in both sport and life, finding balance, confidence, and a renewed connection to what they love.
Start the School Year Strong with Support from Eating Disorder Therapy in NJ
Balancing academics, training, and recovery can feel overwhelming, but you don’t have to manage it alone. At Serendipity Counseling Services, you can get the tools and guidance you need to protect your health, maintain your performance, and stay connected to your recovery goals—no matter how busy the season gets.
Here’s how to get started with eating disorder therapy for athletes in NJ:
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation to share your challenges and learn how therapy can fit into your school and training schedule.
Book your first eating disorder therapy session and create a plan that supports your nutrition, mental health, and athletic goals.
Feel confident heading into the season knowing you have support that prioritizes both your well-being and your love for the sport.
Your health matters as much as your performance. Let’s make sure you can thrive in both.
More Ways We Support Clients at Serendipity Counseling in Cherry Hill, NJ
In addition to eating disorder therapy for athletes, I offer targeted support for runners and actively advocate against diet culture in athletics through educational speaking engagements.
I also lead a virtual Retired Athlete Support Group—an encouraging, judgment-free space where former athletes can navigate life transitions, share experiences, and rediscover who they are beyond their sport.
For families, I provide family-based therapy focused on strengthening communication, fostering empathy, and building a supportive environment that promotes lasting recovery.
About Kate Ringwood: Trustworthy Eating Disorder Therapist in New Jersey
Kate Ringwood, LPC, is the founder of Serendipity Counseling Services and a licensed therapist who specializes in helping athletes in Cherry Hill, NJ, navigate eating disorder recovery. Drawing on her background as a competitive runner, Kate understands the unique pressures of sports culture and how performance, body image, and food can become closely connected.
Blending evidence-based approaches with warmth and empathy, Kate creates a supportive space where clients can rebuild trust in their bodies and move toward lasting healing. Beyond her clinical work, she speaks at events and on podcasts, advocating for mental health awareness and working to shift the conversation toward healthier, more compassionate perspectives in athletics.
