ST. PETERSBURG, Florida – BetterHelp, The Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Venus Williams on Thursday announced a program to provide $2 million of free therapy to the public. The innovative collaboration is designed to highlight the importance of mental health as part of overall health and well-being and destigmatize the process of seeking professional help for mental health challenges.

The $2 million USD free therapy giveaway will provide one month of free therapy through BetterHelp to those who sign up at  www.betterhelp.com/venus , with the first $1 million USD immediately available and the second $1 million USD covered by BetterHelp for each ace hit by WTA players for the remainder of the 2021 WTA Tour season.

Venus Williams earned tennis success at an early age and has remained one of the most inspiring stars today, not only as a seven-time Grand Slam winner, but as a successful entrepreneur and advocate for equal pay. She was also instrumental in developing the WTA’s first-class player health and safeguarding standards for women’s professional tennis. Venus, who has most recently championed the importance of mental health during the pandemic, will serve as ambassador for the program, and raise awareness of both the challenges of mental health and the benefits of seeking help.

“The challenge of taking care of our mental health through the ups and downs of life is something that all of us, no matter our background, can relate to,” Venus Williams said.  “Now more than ever, we need to create an accepting and open environment to seek professional mental health therapy, which is why I am so excited to partner with BetterHelp and the WTA to provide access to free therapy and help raise awareness.”

“We’re thrilled to partner with Venus and the WTA to bring greater awareness and access to therapy,” BetterHelp President Alon Matas said. “Especially today, it’s important that we take care of our mental well-being, and therapy provides the space and time to do just that. We’re incredibly excited to support the WTA’s like-minded goals and partner with Venus to continue making therapy more accessible.”

“We’re very pleased to team up with BetterHelp to further the conversation around mental health and encourage ways to engage with resources,” Micky Lawler, WTA President, said. “With more than 25 years of experience invested in research, data, and direct dialogue with our athletes, mental health and wellness is paramount for optimal performance and sustainability.”

As part of the initiative, the WTA will collaborate with BetterHelp to conduct a mental health awareness campaign across its digital and social platforms.  A centerpiece of this promotional effort will be the launch of a WTA-BetterHelp Aces program through which BetterHelp will provide an additional $500 per Ace hit by WTA players for the remainder of the 2021 season toward free therapy for the public, up to $1 million USD in value.

To learn more about BetterHelp’s mental health services and the opportunity to receive one (1) month of free BetterHelp therapy, please visit www.betterhelp.com/venus. To help end the stigma around mental health challenges, join the conversation across WTA’s social channels.

About BetterHelp

BetterHelp is the world’s largest therapy service, facilitating over 5,000,000 video sessions, voice calls, chats and messages every month. We set out on a mission to make sure everyone has easy, affordable, and private access to high-quality therapy. Since 2013, over 30,000 licensed, accredited, and board-certified therapists from BetterHelp’s network have helped more than 2,000,000 people face life’s challenges and improve their mental health.

About Venus Williams

With seven Grand Slam titles, five Wimbledon titles and four Olympic gold medals, tennis champion Venus Williams is one of the most accomplished and inspiring women in the history of sports. At the age of 14, Williams quickly took the world of tennis by storm, rising to the top-ranked position, breaking countless records, and winning numerous championships. In addition to her athletic success, Williams parlayed her fine-tuned business acumen with her healthy competitive spirit into three successful business ventures: lifestyle and fashion-forward activewear brand EleVen by Venus Williams, a full-service commercial and residential interior design firm V Starr and plant-based protein company Happy Viking. Williams holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Indiana University East and an Associate of Science in Fashion Design from The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. More information can be found at www.venuswilliams.com.

About WTA

Founded by Billie Jean King in 1973 on the principle of equal opportunity, the WTA is the global leader in women’s professional sports. The WTA is one of the world’s most recognizable and high-profile sports organizations, consisting of more than 1650 players representing approximately 85 nations, all competing to earn WTA rankings points and prestigious tournament titles. The WTA Tour is comprised of over 50 events and four Grand Slams, spanning six continents and nearly 30 countries and regions with a global audience of over 700 million. The Tour culminates with the Shiseido WTA Finals Shenzhen, honoring the season’s top singles and doubles players based on the final standings of the Porsche Race to Shenzhen leaderboard. Further information on the WTA can be found at www.wtatennis.com.

About WTA Mental Health & Wellness

Supporting the mental health and wellness of WTA athletes is of the utmost importance to the WTA. The WTA has a comprehensive mental health support system in place which is staffed by experienced and expert therapists within the WTA.  The team is in continual communication with athletes and is available for anyone that is in need of or desires assistance within mental health and wellness.  We offer programs and resources that support and educate athletes in both a preventative and responsive manner.