**1. Introduction**

Just as with the general population, athletes can suffer from clinical and subclinical mental health symptoms and disorders that affect various areas of their functioning. A study conducted with elite athletes found that just under half of the respondents met criteria for at least one mental health "problem" including psychological distress, depression, general and social anxiety, panic disorder, and eating disorders [1]. Up to 60% of female athletes that participate in sports that require individuals to maintain a lean physique struggle with eating disorders [2]. College athletes display more binge drinking behavior than non-athlete college students [3], and 15% of student athletes have participated in pathological gambling behavior [4]. Athletes in the 30–50-year-old age have been shown to be at a 2–4 times higher risk of death by suicide than that of the general population in the same age range [5]. Within the athletic population, injured athletes experience more depression,

anxiety, and lower self-esteem immediately after injury and during recovery than uninjured athletes [6]. In the case of elite athletes, these symptoms and disorders may have negative effects on performance, therefore potentially further impacting their well-being. The objective of this chapter is to discuss various forms of psychotherapy that are appropriate for the elite athlete population and to highlight several unique challenges that mental health professionals may face when working with this population.
