Hope Solo is getting some hands-on treatment for the issues that have been plaguing her, both mentally and physically.
The beleaguered soccer star has started a blog to keep fans apprised of her progress and she took the opportunity to reveal yesterday that she sought help after being suspended for 30 days by the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team. The punishment came after Solo's husband, Jerramy Stevens, was arrested for alleged DUI while behind the wheel of a team-owned vehicle, his wife in the passenger seat.
"At the end of January, before I left Southern California for the start of my 30-day suspension, I'd met with everyone on the team," Solo recalled. "For the first time, I'd opened up to my teammates about everything I'd been going through. I talked about how hard it had been going through the court case with my family, and explained why I hadn't been that approachable at camp."
The court case she was referring to: The two-time Olympic gold medalist had been facing domestic violence charges for allegedly assaulting her sister and nephew. The case was dismissed in January.
"I'd been trying to focus while I was on the field, but I'd been a mess emotionally and mentally, and spent most nights crying with my roommate away from the team," Solo continued. "After I was done speaking with everyone, one of my teammates gave me the biggest hug and said, 'Hope, apology accepted.' That meant so much."
So, she felt she owed it to her team to let them know that she wasn't just spinning her cleats during her time away.
"So a few days before heading to Portugal [to rejoin the team], I'd sent an e-mail to all of my teammates," Solo, who's still considered one of the top goalkeepers in the world wrote. "I let them know what I had been doing in the time I'd been away.
"I told them that for the first time in my life, I'd been seeing a therapist and dealing with a lot of my issues, and finally addressing all the pain and anger that was inside of me. Twice a week, I also worked with an Eastern medicine healer in Seattle who had incredible experience helping some of the greatest athletes perform at the highest levels. He really helped me see things in a different light. I wanted them to know that I hadn't just taken 30 days off. Ultimately, I wanted to be a better person and teammate, and that's what I'd been focused on.
The 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup kicks off June 6 in Canada. The American women are in Group D along with Australia, Sweden and Nigeria and their first match is against Australia on June 8.