Super Bowl XLVIII pits two great teams against one another. Only one will win, and congrats to the victor. Alas, the other team will be defined by the loss.
In just a few weeks, you can find clinical psychologist Lani Lawrence (PsyD ’12) on the sidelines alongside NFL coaches and staff at the league’s Scouting Combine in Indianapolis. As the New York Giants’ first director of wellness and clinical services, she’ll meet with and interview prospects and potential draft picks just one piece of her multifaceted role. Whether it’s creating programming for the newest rookie class, supporting third- and fourth-year players who may be in the last year of their contracts, or zeroing in on ways to boost regular season performance while managing stressors, every day is a little different. The Giants, like other NFL teams, have used sport psychologists in consultant roles but not as full-time employees. But Lawrence is changing the Giants' and others' perspective on the importance of integrating mental performance with physical performance. Back in 2022, she received a shout-out from the Giants’ head coach Brian Daboll during a