UNC Strengthens Mental Health & Performance Psychology Program

Cydnia Young has served in the military and volunteered for humanitarian organizations around the globe. Her next step? Helping UNC student-athletes maximize their mental health.

Young is the newest addition to the staff of the Carolina Athletics Mental Health and Performance Psychology Program, which is a part of UNC Department of Sports Medicine. In her role as a mental health therapist, she meets with Tar Heel individuals and teams to maintain and enhance their physical, psychological, social and spiritual well-being and functioning.

"Carolina Athletics realizes our student-athletes' mental health is part of their overall health, and just as important as their physical health," said Dwight Hollier, UNC's Senior Associate Athletic Director for Student-Athlete Health, Well-Being and Program Outreach. "We're thrilled to welcome Cydnia to Chapel Hill as we continue to expand the services we provide for our student-athletes, especially our student-athletes of color. In addition to a focus on their mental health, we want all Tar Heels to learn resilience and other skills we believe will serve them well during their time in Chapel Hill and after they graduate."

A native of Raleigh, Young graduated from Howard University, where she was a member of the women's lacrosse team. She then served in the Army for eight years, training and leading soldiers and civilian employees in multiple roles. She holds a Master of Social Work degree from the University of Southern California. She most recently worked in the Student Counseling Center at Hampton University.

Young's position is funded by a grant from the Triad Foundation. She joins a staff that also includes Dr. Jeni Shannon, Director of Mental Health and Performance Psychology; and sport psychologists Dr. Brendon Carr and Dr. Bradley Hack.

"Cyd brings so much passion and energy to this role and has been a fantastic addition to our team," Shannon said. "We are so excited to be able to respond to a need expressed by our student-athletes with this new role focused on serving student-athletes of color."

The Mental Health and Performance Psychology program (MHPP) supports UNC student-athletes' well-being and provides services related to mental health, performance psychology, sport-related stressors and more. The staff provides both individual and team sessions, as well as groups, workshops, and outreach to student-athletes, coaches, and staff. For more information, click here.

Young is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker Associate and is certified in Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Eye Movement Integration Therapy, and Domestic Violence Counseling, Suicidality. She has earned certificates in Non-Profit Management, and in Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion in the Workplace. A focus of her work is helping to dismantle the stigma surrounding mental health in communities of color.

Outside of work, Young is passionate about travel for humanitarian purposes. Since 2018 she has spent time in Mexico to advocate for detained migrants along the US/Mexico border; in Haiti to support an orphanage and medical clinic; and in Uganda to deliver medical supplies and provide encouragement to impoverished residents. After traveling the world, she's excited to now settle in Chapel Hill.

"I am so grateful and excited to be a part of a new team, and to use my experience as a minority therapist and former Division I athlete to give back to the Carolina community in this way," Young said. "My ultimate goal within this new role is to work collaboratively to foster trust between student-athletes of color, their teammates, coaches and staff, and the UNC community at large. I am a firm believer in the unstoppable power of shared values and as we continue to put the voices, concerns, and mental wellness of our students first, we all win."

UNC Strengthens Mental Health & Performance Psychology Program

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