In addition to seeking therapy, Henderson also joined a USOPC program called Axis. Retired or approaching Olympic and Paralympic athletes first attended a four-day retreat where they explored deep questions about identity and purpose and formed meaningful bonds. They then held monthly Zoom calls for six months, then created a WhatsApp text group, which they still use to keep in touch. “When you step away from sport, you’re afraid of being isolated and alone,” Henderson said. “But I think we all healed together.”

USOPC also offer individual career counseling, financial counseling, and mental health resources. Previously, some services were only available to competing athletes, and resources for Olympic and Paralympic athletes were separate, Dr. Shapiro said. But now, every member of Team USA can access psychological services for up to two years and other career-related benefits for up to 10 years. for years post retirement.

Some companies are also adjusting their outreach to retired Paralympians. During the Olympics, Nike announced partnered with the USOPC to launch GameOn, a year-long career program at the company’s headquarters in Beaverton, Oregon. While open to everyone, the focus is on disability inclusion, and Paralympic athletes are encouraged to apply. In addition to traditional employment benefits, participants will receive education, mentorship, and professional development. “There needs to be a bridge between being on the field and the corporate environment,” Vanessa Garcia-Brito, Nike’s chief impact officer, tells SELF. Applications open September 12, and the first cohort will start work on February 4, 2025.

Athletes and experts say targeted opportunities like this can be beneficial, as long as Paralympians are aware of them. “Athletes need to be made aware of this early in their careers,” Forber-Pratt said. That way, they can have time to think about it and steer their lives in the direction they want, rather than feeling like they have to take the first job that comes their way.

Building a full, well-rounded life while still competing—that is, treating sports as just one aspect of their identity—can also prepare athletes for the next phase and keep them happier and healthier in the meantime, Dr. Leibovitz says. This can be done by making and spending time with friends outside of sports, staying connected with family, attending school, or finding ways to get involved in their community.

When Dr. Leibovitz begins working with an athlete to improve their mental performance, she asks where they see themselves in 10 years and what possibilities they have considered once they have achieved their goals in sport. The timing may not be right to pursue another career or start a family while competing, but it’s still helpful for athletes to know that they might want these things someday. “If anything, it makes you more invested in what you’re doing now,” she says.

If Forber-Pratt could go back in time, she probably would have planned a little more ahead, she admits. But if she had the chance to speak to her younger self during her most difficult moments, she would offer these words of reassurance: “It might not be what you envision, but it’s going to be OK.”

Henderson’s biggest piece of advice to other Paralympians retiring is to know that the journey may be a roller coaster, but ultimately the hardest parts will likely be smooth sailing. “There’s no wrong way to feel,” Henderson says. “Feel what you feel, and don’t judge yourself. Everyone feels different, and this is also a temporary part of your life until you settle into a new place. There’s no wrong way to do it.”

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