Natalie Graves, AM, LCSW, CADC

Natalie Graves has a private practice specializing in athletes’ mental health & wellness. She received her master’s degree from the University of Chicago School of Social Service Administration and her Bachelor’s degree from Chicago State University. She was a visiting student at the University of Maryland where she studied abroad in London, England in the Sport, Commerce, and Culture in the Global Marketplace Program. Natalie also completed an Addictions Studies Program at City Colleges of Chicago Kennedy-King College. 

Natalie has worked in social service agencies for many years and has also worked in Illinois School Districts in the role of a school social worker. As part of her private practice she now consults with schools, social service agencies, organizations and sports teams. She also created the only one of its kind sport social work clinical supervision group. Here, Natalie meets with social work students and professionals to discuss sport social work cases and best practices.Natalie also works with athletes individually with issues that affects them on and off the field.

Natalie is a member of the University of Michigan's Social Worker and Sports Association.Natalie is also the founder and president of the 1 in 4 PROJECT. This organization is comprised of social workers focused on bringing awareness of mental health and wellness to the sport community. Natalie is a guest lecturer at the University of Michigan School of Social Work.

In April 2018 the NBA asked Natalie to present on mental wellness to their the players in a new gaming league. In New York City, she presented three days at their rookie transition program on mental health, self-care and goal setting.

Natalie was interviewed by the magazine Social Work Today for their 2014 July/August article Youth Athletes off the Field.Natalie speaks throughout the United States and England on topics relating to mental health and sports. She has been a guest on several radio shows discussing various issues within sports. Natalie Graves is a Certified School Social Worker, Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor. Natalie has two published magazine articles on mindfulness and runners. 

Info:

Email: socialworkandsports@gmail.com

Blog: nataliethesocialworker.blogspot.com 

Twitter: natalie_graves1 

John started the Changing the Game Project in 2012 after two decades as a soccer player and coach on the youth, high school, college and professional level.  He is the author of the #1 bestselling books Changing the Game: The Parents Guide to Raising Happy, High Performing Athletes, and Giving Youth Sports Back to our Kids and Is it Wise to Specialize? John’s work has been featured in The Huffington Post, CNN.com, Outside Magazine, ESPN.com, Soccer America and numerous other publications. John is an internationally known speaker for coaches, parents and youth sports organizations, and has spoken for TEDx, the National Soccer Coaches Association of America, US Lacrosse, IMG Academy, and at numerous other events throughout the US, Canada, Asia and Europe.

When he speaks, John brings to the table a wealth of practical, hands on knowledge garnered through years of working with players and their families on sport specific development, fitness and nutrition, college recruiting, and most importantly, training high-performing athletes by creating a player-centered environment.

Originally from New York, John is a 1994 graduate of Fordham University, where he was a team captain as a senior, and a member of the 1990 Patriot League Championship team.  After a stint playing professionally for the Wilmington (NC) Hammerheads of the USL, John began his coaching career as the Varsity Boys Soccer Coach at Cardinal Gibbons HS in Raleigh, NC.  He then moved on to become the Assistant Men’s and Women’s Soccer Coach at the University of Vermont, before delving into the world of youth club soccer.  Since that time, John has worked as a Director of Coaching for Nordic Spirit SC (Vt), Ann Arbor Youth Soccer Association (MI) and from 2006-2011 as the Executive Director of Oregon Rush Soccer Club in Bend, OR.  Most recently he was the Central Oregon Regional Training Center Director for the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer, before turning his attention full time to the Changing the Game Project in 2013.  He holds his USSF A License, NSCAA Advanced National Diploma, and US Youth Soccer National Youth Coaching License.

John received his BA from Fordham University, and his Masters from the University of Vermont. He resides in beautiful Bend, OR, with his wife, Dr Lauren O’Sullivan, and two wonderful children and aspiring young athletes: Maggie Shea, age 11, and Tiernan, age 10.