Venus Williams has taken “better” steps to destigmatize mental health.
And according to The New York Post, mental health seems to have always been a priority for the tennis great.
“My parents were big proponents of mental health — not just self-care, but proactivity,” Venus Williams told the outlet. “It was about realizing that the world is a beautiful place, but it’s also a challenging place, and that you have to prepare mentally to be able to handle the pressures. I was able to succeed in places where others [didn’t] because I had that support from a young age.”
Despite all of the advances made in the normalization of mental health, overall, there’s still a stigma attached to it.
“While Black Americans experience a wide range of attitudes toward mental health treatment, there’s a stigma surrounding mental illness that prevents some people from getting help,” reports VeryWellMind. “It’s important to consider how the stigma—and the forces that create the stigma—may make it difficult for individuals to reach out to a mental health professional.”
To further remove this stigma from the Black community, Venus Williams has formed a very unique partnership.
Venus Williams' New Partnership With BetterHelp
Williams has teamed up with BetterHelp and the Women’s Tennis Association to offer the unique gift of more than $2 million in free therapy sessions, The New York Post reports.
“There are no barriers,” she said to the outlet. “You just need a phone or a laptop and access to the Internet. “People are talking to each other about their therapists. And not just in person, on social media, too. I love that this next generation can have the opportunity to be proactive and take care of their mental health.”
