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Talking about mental health is good for you, according to pop star, actor and producer Selena Gomez, and she’s determined to be the catalyst for positive change.
The “Ice Cream” singer announced the launch of her latest venture, Wondermind, a mental health platform focused on connecting people with educational resources and ending the stigma around mental illnesses.
She teamed up with her mother, Mandy Teefey, and The Newsette founder and CEO Daniella Pierson to create the media company, which is set to launch in February 2022.
Gomez hasn’t been shy when it comes to discussing her mental health publicly. She previously wrote for CNN about how she’s a “big advocate for social media detoxes” and therapy.
And she announced on Miley Cyrus’ Instagram show “Bright Minded” in April that she has bipolar disorder.
“I went to one of the best mental hospitals in America, McLean Hospital, and I discussed that after years of going through a lot of different things, I realized that I was bipolar,” Gomez said. “And so when I got to know more information, it actually helps me. It doesn’t scare me once I know it.”
Her mother revealed being misdiagnosed for over 20 years with bipolar disorder that later turned out to be attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD, with trauma, according to the Wondermind website’s welcome video.
Pierson opened up in the video as well, saying she has dealt with obsessive compulsive disorder since she was a child.
The three said they struggled to find a safe space online where they could engage with uplifting content about mental health on a daily basis. Enter Wondermind.
Daily commitment to mental health
The platform’s strategy centers around mental fitness, providing daily exercises people can do to strengthen their mental health.
They will be launching physical products as a part of that plan, beginning with a physical journal that will feature creative prompts, according to Wondermind spokesperson Meredith Sidman.
“Your mind is truly like a muscle, and to work on it every single day, it does require content and tools, and we’re so happy to deliver that to you all,” Pierson said in the video.
The site also hinted at the launch of a podcast that would be a platform for others to share their mental health challenges. Teefey will host the podcast and interview notable psychiatrists, athletes and celebrities, Sidman said.
“I’m so excited about Wondermind because I want there to be a place of people coming together and understanding that they’re not alone,” Gomez said in the video.
A slew of mental health advocates will share their expertise on the website, beginning with Minaa B., a licensed therapist in New York City, and John Kim, a licensed therapist and host of “The Angry Therapist” podcast.
Long-term support for education
Aside from Wondermind, Gomez’s cosmetics company, Rare Beauty, launched the Rare Impact Fund in July 2020 with a goal to raise $100 million over 10 years to fund mental health education.
“With the Rare Impact Fund, we want to reduce the stigma associated with mental health, address the epidemic of chronic loneliness, and help give people access to the resources and services they need to support their mental well-being,” Gomez wrote for CNN.