What does it really feel like to be a queer athlete — to show up every day in a sport you love while wondering if your teammates truly have your back? In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Tess Kilwein, a clinical sports psychologist based in Nashville, to dig into a side of athlete mental health we don't talk about nearly enough.

Dr. Kilwein works with elite athletes across the country, specializing in creating trauma-informed, identity-affirming environments — especially for LGBTQ+ athletes and others who've experienced marginalization in sport. She breaks down what minority stress theory actually means for athletes, why locker room culture matters more than people think, and what coaches, parents, and teammates can do — starting today — to make a real difference.

This one is packed with practical takeaways, honest conversation, and a powerful message for every athlete who has ever felt like they had to hide a part of themselves to earn their place on a team.

Resources for athletes:

Athlete Ally

You Can Play

Black Student-Athlete Summit

Women's Sports Foundation

About Dr. Tess Kilwein
Dr. Kilwein is a board-certified clinical and sport psychologist who works with elite athletes and performers across the United States. They support athletes of all ages, identities, and competitive levels in navigating concerns ranging from mental health challenges to performance optimization. Dr. Kilwein specializes in creating performance environments that are trauma-informed care and identity-affirming, with particular expertise in working with LGBTQ+ athletes and performers.

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

What if confidence isn’t the key to peak performance?

In this episode of College Is Fine Podcast, Sarah and Liz sit down with sports psychologist Dr. Mitchell A. Greene to unpack one of the biggest myths in athletics: that you need to feel confident to perform well.

From college athletes to Olympians, Dr. Greene shares what’s actually happening inside the minds of high performers—and why the most driven, prepared athletes are often the ones struggling the most.

What We Cover:

Why high performers feel the most pressure
Performance anxiety isn’t a sign of weakness—it often shows up because athletes care deeply and have put in the work.

The truth about “mind chatter”
Dr. Greene introduces his concept of mind chatter—the doubts, second-guessing, and mental noise that show up in high-stakes moments.

Confidence myth
Many athletes are taught they need confidence to succeed—but chasing confidence can actually make things worse.

Outcome goals vs. action goals

• Why shifting your focus from outcome goals to action goals can actually improve your performance

📚 Resources & Links

• Learn more about his work at Greene Psych (sports psychology & performance coaching) https://greenepsych.com/our-team/mitchell-greene-ph-d/
• Dr. Mitchell A. Greene's Book

https://www.amazon.com/Courage-over-Confidence-Managing-Chatter/dp/B0BYC2NQVT/ref=sr_1_1?adgrpid=185685790705&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.SG07gzxNmvxFoo6K9q9gH60Xo1kKs8xcPeNEOMNwJgVmAG4grN97nlAk4Li4gwS5oIArR6q8ma-PlG4kSeOb86vdpMHCMzgyK8MrZkmCn_mFlrxX90XFRoX25t-YtHCrvv0bdebYwWkiLLVKX2OUNTlxUFJsQVcp49BaWnpkS6bpzkMod1rngsLa9llDXJgh8sB3Co2TQyFncbfXxwm2CbuPRquwkvg2eECe-d7T7XE.emcDsyvEh66B6kPsLdFMYtj0URTd68-aX4y6dpTeXbk&dib_tag=se&hvadid=779570049283&hvdev=c&hvexpln=0&hvlocphy=9001853&hvnetw=g&hvocijid=4570656352206099733--&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4570656352206099733&hvtargid=kwd-1849565868624&hydadcr=20366_13322219_2282818&keywords=courage+over+confidence&mcid=17ea770aa9053e41bf4d618457019844&qid=1773859643&sr=8-1

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Every athlete plays two games — the sport on the field, and the mental game happening in their head. In this episode, we sit down with two experts who work with college athletes every day: Carrie Potoff, a licensed clinical social worker at Sasko River Center in Darien, and Rhodie Lorenz, a mental performance coach who works with college and high school athletes. Together, they break down what it really takes to perform well — not just physically, but mentally.

What We Cover:

• Why the mental side of sports is just as trainable as the physical side
• How negative self-talk becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy — and how to interrupt it
• The difference between "useful" and "not useful" thoughts (hint: it's not always about positive vs. negative)
• What "process goals" actually look like in real life
• A simple two-column exercise to help athletes focus on what they can control
• How burnout shows up in college athletes — and how to help them fall back in love with their sport
• The "Side Game" tool: a powerful technique for helping athletes rediscover their "why"
• How team culture and shared vulnerability can elevate individual performance

Resources Mentioned:

Saugatuck Mind and Sports Lab — Carrie and Rhodie's organization working to shift the culture around outcome fixation in youth and college sports

Mike Vrabel's "4 H's": History, Heroes, Heartbreak and Hope

• https://www.espn.com/video/clip/_/id/47580019

Key Quotes:

• "The mind doesn't believe what is true — it believes what is repeated." — Rhodie Lorenz
• "You can't perform at your highest level and endure this level of pain if it's not attached to something beyond yourself." — Rhodie Lorenz

About Our Guests:

Carrie Potoff, LCSW works out of Sasko River Center in Darien and specializes in working with athletes navigating the emotional and psychological demands of competitive sports.

Rhodie Lorenz is a mental performance coach with a background in education and fitness. She works primarily with college-level athletes, helping them build the mental tools they need to thrive under pressure.

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Meditation is supposed to calm you down… right?

In this episode, Sarah and Liz talk with journalist Ginger Koehler about what happened when she tried meditating every morning for a week for an article for Her Campus—and instead of feeling peaceful, she ended up having a full-on emotional crash out.

Ginger shares how sitting alone with her thoughts during a major post-grad life transition brought up feelings she didn’t expect. What started as a simple wellness experiment turned into a deeper realization about loneliness, life after college, and the pressure to “have it all figured out.”

Together, they unpack some of the biggest myths about meditation and mindfulness, including the idea that meditation automatically makes you relaxed. Instead, it can sometimes make your thoughts louder before things get clearer.

The conversation explores how meditation isn’t one-size-fits-all—and how practices like gratitude, stretching, walking, or quiet moments without technology can still bring mindfulness into everyday life.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Why meditation doesn’t always feel calming (especially at first)
• The difference between mindfulness and meditation
• What happens when you finally slow down and hear your thoughts
• Post-grad loneliness and identity shifts after college
• Why meditation is a skill—not something you're automatically “good at”
• Finding a mindfulness practice that actually fits your personality

Mindfulness Apps-

https://www.headspace.com/studentplan

https://www.calm.com/app/class/calm-for-students

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

We feel so lucky to have a guest two-fer! On the last episode, you heard Ali and her daughter Emme bravely share their takes on the college application process. Lucky for us, Ali stuck around for more tips on managing the college transition. Whether it’s gearing up for application season, or starting to prep for freshman year, college planning can feel scattered: tutors here, advice there, dorm stuff somewhere else — and new headlines every day. Seeing all the headlines, the information overload, and the social media sensationalism around college, Ali started The College Corner so parents and students could have a trusted, one-stop-shop for all things college.

We cover what Ali is seeing across the “college ecosystem” (from social media trends to major admissions shifts), why narrowing a list helps reduce chaos, and how families can keep perspective — especially when anxiety spikes as application season approaches.

This episode ends with one of our favorite takeaways: it’s not just about where a student goes — it’s about who they’re becoming.

What We Talk About

• The origin story of The College & Dorm Corner (a “Knot.com” model for college planning)
• Curated campus travel guides made by college students: where to stay, eat, and visit
• Why college advice feels fragmented — and what helps families feel less overwhelmed
• Social media vs. real expertise: what gets sensationalized and what stays grounded
• The admissions landscape as a constantly evolving story (and why that fuels stress)
• Ali’s “7 Steps to Choosing the Right College” and how lists can calm the chaos
• Building a college list: size, location, majors, and lifestyle factors (including sports culture)
• Why visiting a school can change everything (hello, “this speaks to me” moments)
• The “Dream School” mindset shift: fit > hype
• Parenting through application season: regulation, collaboration, and perspective
• The reframe we want every parent to remember: college is four years; your relationship is for life
  
  

Takeaways

• If you’re overwhelmed, a structured list can reduce decision fatigue — but don’t let it become rigid.
• Social media can be useful, but not all “expert” content is created equal.
• Students thrive most when they have agency and the school is a true fit.
• Parents: your steadiness is part of the intervention — zooming out can lower the temperature at home.
  
  

About the Guest

Ali Dorfman is a former TV producer (CBS News, The Today Show, ABC) and founder of The College & Dorm Corner, a one-stop platform supporting families through the college planning journey — from test prep to dorm décor. Make sure to check out this amazing resource! https://www.thecollegecorner.com/about-us

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Junior year of high school is here — and the college process is officially real.

In this special episode, we try something new: a “Newlywed Game”-style conversation between a mom and her daughter about their different takes on independence, stress, communication, and what the college process actually feels like inside one household.

Ali Dorfman, former TV producer and founder of The College & Dorm Corner, joins us alongside her daughter Emme to share the parent and student perspective in real time.

From ACT prep to Life360, from FOMO to family rules, this episode captures the nuanced dance between pushing, guiding, and letting go.

In This Episode, We Discuss:

• When junior year suddenly makes college feel “real”
• The independence spectrum: How much should parents step in?
• Balancing grades, sports, extracurriculars, and test prep
• The emotional climate inside a household during application season
• Communication expectations once students leave for college
• Which family rules may (or may not) retire
• The role of social media in shaping college dreams
• Why passion > résumé padding
• The tension between parent aspirations and student interests
• The “marathon, not sprint” mindset
  
  

Key Takeaways:

• Junior year often feels like “buckle up” season.
• Independence in the college process is rarely all-or-nothing.
• Students need space to develop their own internal compass.
• Parents are navigating their own letting-go journey.
• The fun stuff (sports, campus life, dorm decor) can be motivating — but academics still dominate the mental load early on.
• Family communication expectations should be discussed before move-in day.
  
  

About Our Guest

Ali Dorfman is a former TV producer (CBS News, The Today Show, ABC) and founder of The College & Dorm Corner, a one-stop platform supporting families through the college planning journey — from test prep to dorm décor. Make sure to check out this amazing resource! https://www.thecollegecorner.com/about-us

And a special thank you to the brave, insightful and all-around rock star Emme who was willing to be our *first* Two Takes guest!

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
Tik Tok: @collegeisfinepodcast
Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner

Conflict on college campuses has changed—and not just because of roommates and group projects.

In this episode of College Is Fine, Everything’s Fine, we’re joined by Bob Bordone, conflict and negotiation expert, former Harvard Law School professor, and author of Conflict Resilience, for a timely conversation about how students can navigate disagreement when the stakes feel personal, political, and deeply tied to identity.

From classroom discussions and group chats to social media posts and friendships strained by global events, Bob helps us understand why conflict feels so overwhelming right now—and why avoidance has become the default coping strategy. He introduces the concept of conflict resilience, a skill that isn’t about “winning,” fixing, or resolving differences, but about staying present, authentic, and connected in the face of discomfort.

Together, we explore:

• Why conflict avoidance feels safer—but costs us more in the long run
• How polarization and social media amplify fear, reactivity, and disconnection
• The difference between aggression, assertion, and avoidance
• What “disagreeing better” actually looks like in dorm rooms, classrooms, and relationships
• How to raise hard topics without betraying your values—or yourself
• Why conflict resilience is a core leadership and life skill, not just a communication tactic

Bob also shares practical ways students can start building conflict resilience right now, including reframing conflict as a normal (and even connective) part of relationships and learning to sit with discomfort instead of immediately fleeing it.

If you’ve ever felt anxious about speaking up, setting boundaries, or engaging with someone who sees the world very differently than you do, this episode offers a grounded, hopeful path forward.

Links to Bob Bordone’s book Conflict Resilience and his work are below:

https://www.bobbordone.com/

https://www.bobbordone.com/books

Want to share your story, give us feedback or offer up an episode idea? Reach out! We'd love to hear from you.

Insta: @collegeisfinepodcast
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Email: collegeisfinepodcast@gmail.com

Music is Deadbeats by Rex Banner