Thomas Cole, an offensive lineman at UCLA, is setting the game aside and retiring from football. Cole made the announcement last week across social media while shedding light on the mental health challenges that led to a failed (thankfully) attempt to take his own life. “I haven’t been present at the Wasserman facility (UCLA’s football center) for the past six months. This is because at the start of 2022, I made an attempt to take my own life,” wrote Cole, who sat out the 2021 season. “At first I was regretful that I survived my attempt, but thankfully, due to the people at the UCLA hospital, my therapist Meg, and Paradigm Residential Treatment, I have come to a much brighter outlook for my own future.”

“We could not be more proud of Thomas and consider him a shining example of what is possible when the right people converge in service of a young person struggling with mental health issues. We wish him a happy and fulfilling retirement and extend our best wishes for whatever is next for this resilient young man”, said Dustin Wagner, MA, LPC and CEO of Paradigm Treatment. “We are honored to have had a role in his recovery.”

With locations in Malibu and San Rafael, CA, and soon in Austin, TX, Paradigm Treatment (www.paradigmtreatment.com) has been helping teens and young adults with mental illness for over 10 years with meticulously thought-through, Joint Commission-accredited mental health treatment. Our medical and clinical teams delve deep to address the root causes of the struggles that young people face in today’s always-on yet disconnected world. We work closely with youth and their families treating anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, mood and personality disorders, and co-occurring substance use. Certified teachers address academic issues so that students may resume studies after residential treatment. Experiential approaches like mindfulness, yoga, and meditation empower clients to transform their lives in authentic, sustainable ways.