So, late last year an invite appeared in our Missing Perspectives inbox for a PR event. And it wasn’t just any PR event – it was a dinner with Naomi Osaka.
Unsurprisingly, two-time Australian Open champion Naomi is one of our absolute favourite tennis players at Missing Perspectives, so to say we were excited is the understatement of the century.
We’ve been closely following Naomi’s amazing advocacy around mental health and being public with her journey and challenges. Naomi went public with her mental health challenges after withdrawing from the French Open in 2021, later taking an extended break to focus on her mental health. ICYMI, Naomi wrote an incredible op-ed for TIME about her time off – and how it’s ‘OK not to be OK.’
“It has become apparent to me that literally everyone either suffers from issues related to their mental health or knows someone who does,” she wrote in the piece. “The number of messages I received from such a vast cross section of people confirms that. I think we can almost universally agree that each of us is a human being and subject to feelings and emotions.” It’s definitely worth a read.
She’s also been outspoken about her postpartum experience (her daughter Shai was born in the summer of 2023) – particularly in terms of feeling disconnected with her body – a public statement that resonated with women around the world. Add to that, the pressures she experiences as a female athlete with a global platform.
So, of course we said yes to the PR event – and this was one worth writing about. Not only is Naomi a tennis superstar, but she’s also an Ambassador of Brave Together – a global initiative (spearheaded by Maybelline) that supports those experiencing anxiety and depression. In partnership with a community of mental health experts, the team have created tools to help navigate everything from spotting the signs of mental illness, how to practise self care, to sharing resources.
At dinner, Naomi spoke openly about the mental health challenges she’s faced – describing mental health as continuing to be a taboo – particularly when you’re a globally recognised athlete. She believes that the key to challenging this is being public about her struggles with anxiety and depression, and speaking up. “Talking to others about challenges is easier than keeping it inside,” she said in a chat moderated by Laura Henshaw and Steph Claire Smith.
Naomi also emphasised the importance of self-care. So, what does self-care look like for a world tennis champion? The answer? Meditation. “I love to listen to relaxing sounds – and sometimes to running water if I want to shake it up a bit,” she laughed. “Your physical health and your mental health are equally as important.”
She was joined on the panel by a Reach Out representative Emily Smith who discussed Reach Out’s incredibly important peer-chat initiative. It involves free text-based support with a peer worker – allowing young people aged 16-25 to chat in private about anything. Peer workers work with young people to explore a situation and work through some potential solutions – with many having lived experience of anxiety and depression, so are able to support in a truly empathetic way.
Safe to say, it was a thought-provoking discussion – and couldn’t be more timely. We can’t wait to see what’s in store for both Naomi this year, and also for the incredible team over at Reach Out as they scale their programming.
