Body Business: Maintaining Mental Health and Autonomy for Athletes, Performers, Models

In industries where bodies are the product, the brand, and the currency of success, mental health is often the first sacrifice. In industries where bodies are the product, the brand, and the currency of success, mental health is often the first sacrifice. Body Business exposes the unique psychological challenges faced by athletes, actors, and models – careers where extreme discipline, public scrutiny, and relentless competition intersect with intense physical and emotional demands. Unlike other books that focus solely on sports psychology or mental toughness, this book is the first of its kind – written by subject matter experts – to examine the mental health struggles of not just athletes but also actors and models, whose industries remain largely unexamined in this space. It is a guide to maintaining control in a system that profits from your performance. Drawing from real stories, expert analysis, and cutting-edge psychological concepts, this book offers practical strategies to safeguard mental well-being, build resilience, and retain autonomy in high-stakes industries. It confronts the hidden dangers of exploitation, manipulation, and loss of personal agency, equipping readers with the tools to navigate contracts, industry expectations, and performance pressures without losing themselves in the process. With contributions from elite athletes, top models, and award-winning actors, this book is an essential resource for those pursuing or currently navigating careers where their body is their business – as well as the families, agents, coaches, and mental health professionals who support them.