It's a sport that features aerial acrobatics like few others. In fact, that's what attracts many of those who get involved.

"The feeling of flipping almost feels like you're flying. You feel so free while doing it."

13-year-old Natalie Burns is among the 600-plus gymnasts, some as young as three years old, who train at Colorado Gymnastics Institute or CGI. Gymnastics requires the mind and body to act as one.  

"If your brain is telling you one thing, and your body is doing another, it’s a lot more challenging so having certain tools to help you get through that is really helpful."

"Practice creates confidence," it says on the wall here. "Confidence empowers you." When the author of that quote, gymnast Simone Biles, lost confidence in her ability to execute a twisting routine during the Olympics, she withdrew from multiple events, saying she wasn't mentally prepared. 

"We're just a little bit too stressed out but we should be out here having fun and sometimes that's not the case."

Her fellow gymnasts could relate.

"They were obviously disappointed not to watch her but understanding because they know what it’s like to get the twisties. It's when your brain can't comprehend how much you're twisting anymore. You are lost in the air, you don’t know where you are, it’s very scary."

"Even at this level, some gymnastics routines can be incredibly complex. One wrong move in mid-air and you're in a world of hurt."

For this celebrated gymnast, the threat of serious injury was compounded by the stress of competing at an elite level.

"For her the bar is much higher than for anyone else which adds to the pressure."

HealthONE psychologist Dr. Anat Geva says sports stars and entertainers have helped bring mental struggles into the public conversation.

"People are feeling more confident saying you know I need to take care of my mental health which is just as important as my physical health."

For years, CGI has employed a mental performance coach who teaches gymnasts deep breathing, relaxation techniques and how to be resilient. Strategies to prevent getting overloaded like Biles.

"I think it's a good teaching moment for everybody. I think what she did took a tremendous amount of courage, on that big of a stage, with those big of consequences, to be able to step up and say I can’t do this."

For these kids, she says…

"Both in their sport and just as they’re growing up as people I think is an awesome thing for them to have learned."

"For them to have that example, that their role model did it, and the sun continued to shine the next day."

Burns says she's had twisties before.

"I got it not too long ago actually, and it just feels so weird because you know what skill you're trying to do but it just doesn’t happen."

That's when, she's been told, you step back, reconstruct the routine and take a mental break, a concept that's a bit more accepted now. 
 

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