Bethany Bos Q&A With The Hidden Opponent

Bethany Bos, LPC-A, has found strength in sharing her story, and after taking a mental health break from professional soccer last year, Bos is sharing how her life has changed since that decision.

Bos was most recently a professional soccer player for Dallas Trinity FC, following a 5+ year career in the NWSL, where she earned NWSL Rookie of the Year honors in 2019 and won the NWSL Shield in 2022 with the Seattle Reign.

Bos played college soccer for the Spring Arbor Cougars, where she was a two-time NAIA national champion, three-time NAIA national player of the year, four-time first-team All-American, and the school's leading scorer. She was the first player in history to earn a roster spot in the NWSL out of the NAIA collegiate league.

In addition to her accolades on the field, Bos also hosts an impressive resume professionally. She holds a master’s degree in counseling and uses her platform to give advice on topics ranging from body image to performance anxiety. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Associate and currently works with children, adolescents, and adults experiencing concerns such as anxiety, depression, life transitions, stress, self-esteem difficulties, and relationship challenges. Her approach is both collaborative and individualized, drawing from evidence-based practices while recognizing that every client's experiences and goals are unique.

Please share a little about yourself, your background, how you got into soccer, etc.

I am from a small town in Michigan called Hudsonville. I come from a larger family and have 4 siblings, all who have played soccer. Soccer is the heartbeat of my family. It was our common bond growing up and what took up all of our free time. While soccer was the main thing, I always prioritized getting involved in other ways, especially in high school. I played basketball and was in the theater. These opportunities allowed me to create unique relationships and make other lasting memories. I’ve always enjoyed diversifying myself in many different things to make sure my identity isn’t wrapped up in one thing. I think this allowed me to love soccer for so many years and not experience burnout. I never thought playing professionally was a reality, but had a “what do I have to lose?” mentality when I entered the 2019 draft. It ended up leading me to a wild journey of playing professional soccer for 8 years, and what I have learned along the way is truly invaluable.

Can you talk about the decision to take a mental health break from soccer in 2025? What led up to making that choice, and what gave you the courage to speak so openly about your mental health?

I first noticed a problem when I couldn’t get through a training session without crying. The emotional weight I had been feeling throughout the preseason was slowly coming out physically. I knew that something had to change. I had been vaguely thinking about taking a break for over a year, but never fully committed to it out of fear of what people might think. I didn’t want to let anyone down, and I also didn’t want to miss out on any opportunities if I did continue to play. But once I couldn’t control my emotions during training, I knew I had to take a break.

I think I’ve been open about my mental health because there is still a stigma surrounding it, particularly in sport. When I had a panic attack in 2020, I didn’t really know what was going on, and when I posted about it, I truly didn’t expect the response I got. Once I realized the importance of my words and my experience, I knew I wanted to keep having honest conversations and to normalize the experiences of elite athletes.

What did the break from soccer give you? How did it help you with your mental health journey?

The soccer break allowed me to step back and gain a larger perspective. I never had the time to understand what my life was outside of soccer. I always pushed through it, assuming that was best. However, I learned a lot about myself and realized that while playing professionally is an absolute dream, there is so much more to life and to who I am as a person. You feel like you’re under a microscope when playing soccer. That this is all there is. But that couldn’t be farther from the truth. While I firmly believe you should enjoy all the years you get to play your sport, because you can’t do it forever, I want to emphasize that you, in fact, can’t do it forever. When my brain truly understood that, it allowed me to put healthy boundaries around what I let soccer do to me mentally. How I navigate conversations, how I advocate for others, how I talk to myself. All these things had a new meaning in my life because I was able to see and understand a bigger perspective on my life.

Tell us about your journey to earning your LPC-A? What motivated you to pursue this avenue? What do you hope to provide your clients as a clinician?

My journey with mental health started in 2020, and the more I learned through my own experiences, the more I realized I wanted other people to have the same feeling of healing and transformation in their own lives. When I saw that people didn’t know a lot about mental health, it gave me a craving to educate others. I come from a unique position of having played at the highest level, and I knew my experience could be helpful to others. I feel that I have always been open and honest because being closed off has never benefited me. I want people to expand their horizons and perspectives on their lives. What we are going through can seem so beyond ourselves and our way of thinking, but I believe we can elevate our thinking and habits to take those moments of challenge, depression, and anxiety, and turn them into something for good.

What advice do you have for young athletes about prioritizing their mental health?

First and foremost, you are stronger than you think. Lots of people want to use anxiety and depression as a way out of a challenging situation. You have survived all of your hardest days, and that is something to be proud of. My hope is people can look back on their lowest of lows and be proud that they prevailed and didn’t give up.

It’s also important to talk to someone. Whether it’s a therapist or a friend, coach or parent. Simply talking can help alleviate so much stress. We are in our heads all the time as athletes, and getting everything out of our brains and either onto paper or through our words can be healing in and of itself.