"I've gone to therapy since I was 13 years old but a lot of people don't have that support" - Sloane Stephens on mental health

Sloane Stephens recently revealed that she has benefitted from talking to a therapist ever since she was a teenager. But in the same breath, she acknowledged that it was not a luxury most people could afford and hoped that the situation would change soon.

Stephens attended a virtual roundtable discussion on mental health and wellness in the black community on Saturday, alongside actress Taraji P. Henson and WNBA star Nneka Ogwumike. The discussion was hosted by the White House as part of their Black History Month celebrations.

Over the course of the roundtable, the American was thankful to her parents for the "extreme amount of support" they offered her when it came to mental health. She wanted others to experience the same as well, citing that the constant exposure to therapy has made it easier for her to express her emotions.

"I’m one of those people who now finds it very easy to say how I feel, but I’ve gone to therapy since I was 13 years old,” Stephens said. “My mom is a psychologist. So I’ve had an extreme amount of support, but a lot of people don’t have that. I want people to be able to have that support and not feel judged when they feel something."

Stephens opened up about her struggles with mental health. She recalled how she had struggled to manage fans' expectations as an up-and-coming athlete, describing the ordeal as "just unbearable."

"When I was 18 or 19 years old and a professional athlete learning my way through life, I was also juggling millions of people watching me play tennis every day. It was just unbearable," Stephens said.

As she has advanced with age, however, the World No. 57 reckons she has gotten better at recognizing when it was necessary to "take a minute" for herself. As a result, the 28-year-old opined that her life has become significantly easier to manage.

"But now that I'm able to recognize [when I’m not feeling well], now I know I can identify those, I find it great. I’m able to manage those emotions a lot easier because I know that I need to take a minute for myself," Stephens said. "I can manage myself easier now.”

"Once people are able to accept that there’s a ‘you’ underneath the athlete or the celebrity, it’s a lot easier to be human" - Sloane Stephens

Sloane Stephens wanted people to think about the human being underneath the athlete or celebrity figure

Sloane Stephens was grateful to have had the opportunity to share her story in the media. She believed that it would serve as a reminder to fans of the fact that athletes, or any celebrity for that matter, were also human beings.

”I’m thankful that I’ve been able to share my story and a lot of people have been super supportive of seeing me as myself, as a human and not just Sloane Stephens, the athlete,” Stephens said. “Once people are able to accept that there’s a ‘you’ underneath the athlete or the celebrity, it’s a lot easier to be human."

On the tennis side of things, Sloane Stephens will return to action at the Indian Wells Open following her first-round exit at the Australian Open. The WTA 1000 event, scheduled to be held from March 9-20, will be headlined by World No. 1 Ashleigh Barty.