From Head To Toe: The Irish Dancer Wellness Podcast

In this solo episode, Mitch answers one of the questions we hear more and more from dancers: How do I get into psychology, and what could that career actually look like?From choosing an undergraduate degree to deciding whether to pursue a master’s, doctorate, clinical route or performance psychology, Mitch breaks down the different pathways and what each can prepare you for.He also talks honestly about the realities of working in performance psychology, the CMPC pathway, why understanding mental health matters when working with dancers, and why there is such a need for more qualified professionals who truly understand the Irish dance world.Whether you’re a high school dancer thinking about college, a university student considering your next step, a dance teacher looking to expand your knowledge, or someone wondering what life after competitive dancing could look like, this episode offers a practical and realistic place to start.

What holds us back from putting ourselves out there?In this solo episode, Chloey shares some thoughts sparked by conversations with friends in the dance world about starting something of your own, dealing with self-doubt and judgment, learning from feedback, and accepting that not everyone is going to connect with what you create.Along the way, she also reflects on patience, progress and expectations, both in business and in training, and why sometimes we need to give things a little more time before deciding they haven’t worked.Plus, a reminder inspired by Brené Brown and Theodore Roosevelt’s famous “Man in the Arena”: putting something you care about into the world takes vulnerability.You don’t need to have everything figured out before you start.Sometimes it’s worth replacing “Who am I to do this?” with a much better question:Why not me?

Chloey and Dr. Mitch are back, and this time they’re taking a closer look at some of the messages and claims dancers are constantly exposed to online.From pushing through exhaustion, to taking “100% ownership” of every outcome, to using positive self-talk to override nerves, they unpack what actually holds up, what needs more context, and what might be doing more harm than good.Not everything is simply true or false. Sometimes the most useful answer sits somewhere in the grey area, and that’s exactly what this conversation explores.Mitch also checks back in on the goal he set in our last episode and shares how it’s been going.And if you’ve come across a post, quote or claim online that’s made you stop and think, send it our way. We may break it down in a future episode.

Chloey and Mitch work through a long-term fitness goal and discuss how understanding the motivation behind it, and breaking the challenge down into tangible daily behaviours, can make it more likely that success is achieved.You’ll also find a link to our goal-setting worksheets below if you’d like to follow along or put some of the concepts from this episode into practice.A quick note from Chloey: I know my audio quality isn’t the best in this episode. We’ll have that fixed for the next one, but I hope you still enjoy the conversation and find it valuable.https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WrwF3ksK2MZmqN7I1-bUYUi4w6cmAky5/view?usp=sharing

In Part 3 of our Stamina series, Registered Dietitian and TCRG Julia Chase explores the vital role nutrition plays in a dancer’s energy, endurance, recovery, and performance.Julia discusses why Irish dancers need to fuel themselves for the athletes they are, the importance of carbohydrates, and how under-fuelling can sometimes feel like a stamina problem.She also shares practical guidance for fuelling longer workshops, competition days, training sessions, and performances, helping dancers feel more energised, focused, and prepared to perform at their best.To work with Julia one-to-one, or to book a nutrition workshop for your dance school, connect with us through From Head to Toe Academy.www.fromheadtotoeacademy.com