LifeWorks renewed as the Official Mental Health Partner of Team Canada through Los Angeles 2028

TORONTO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--LifeWorks, a leading provider of total wellbeing solutions, and the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) announced Tuesday that they have renewed their partnership until 2028. As the Official Mental Health Partner of Team Canada and a founding partner of Game Plan, Canada’s national team athlete wellness program, LifeWorks will continue to offer Team Canada, coaches, staff and their family members, mental health resources.

“We are very proud of Team Canada’s performance at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and we are excited to continue our commitment as their mental health partner,” said Stephen Liptrap, president and chief executive officer, LifeWorks. “We are dedicated to offering the best, digital mental health services to the sports community and are looking forward to seeing Canadian athletes develop stronger personal and professional skills beyond their years as active Olympic athletes.”

The renewed partnership will cover the next four Olympic Games, including Beijing 2022, Paris 2024, Milano Cortina 2026, and Los Angeles 2028.

“Thanks to our partnership with LifeWorks, Team Canada athletes have one of the most robust mental health and wellness plans in the world,” said David Shoemaker, chief executive officer and secretary general, Canadian Olympic Committee. "With LifeWorks as a foundation and crucial resource, a specialized network of mental health professionals, and Game Plan, our athlete wellness program, Team Canada has never been in a better position to support athletes’ success on and off the field of play, especially throughout the pandemic."

The partnership between LifeWorks and the COC began in September 2015, with the launch of Game Plan. The initial offering included career management support, networking, education, mental-health training, personal and life skill development, and awareness and access to health resources. With the partnership renewal, athletes, staff and their families, also have access to digital services including:

• Access to the LifeWorks total wellbeing platform, providing 24/7 counselling and online wellbeing resources to keep users connected, informed, and engaged with health risk and fitness challenges; and
• Access to AbilitiCBT™, an internet-based cognitive behavioural therapy (iCBT) program guided by professional therapists, providing personal counselling for anxiety, depression, insomnia, pain management, grief and loss, and trauma.

Caileigh Filmer, a Team Canada rower and Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist, emphasizes the importance of mental health for athlete wellbeing.

"My own personal mental health and the mental health of the greater athlete community is something incredibly important to me. Asking for help and letting those around you know you are facing challenges is the first and often most difficult step. It is not a sign of weakness to say you are struggling, but rather a sign of strength to know you are going to start facing these challenges,” said Filmer. “Everyone's experiences with mental health might look a little bit different, but what should not change is the feeling of knowing you have a support system around you. Counselling and CBT has been a fundamental part in helping me with my own battle with depression, and the fact that others will have the ability to access similar resources is a major contribution in supporting the mental health of Canadian athletes."

About LifeWorks:
LifeWorks is a world leader in providing digital and in-person solutions that support the total wellbeing of individuals. We deliver a personalized continuum of care that helps our clients improve the lives of their people and by doing so, improve their business.

About the Canadian Olympic Committee:
The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of Team Canada’s podium success and advances Olympic values across Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the COC delivers the resources that Canada’s elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything every day. By sharing our athletes’ stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

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