SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 29, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Modern Health, a leading workplace mental health platform supporting enterprises globally, today announced U.S. soccer icon, two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and FIFA World Cup Champion Abby Wambach will keynote day two of its second annual conference Elevate, taking place virtually on September 7-8, 2022. Wambach has been vocal about her mental health journey and female inequality in sports. In her New York Times bestselling memoir, she openly discussed her history of depression and drug and alcohol abuse. Wambach will join Elevate's lineup of mental health advocates, which also includes four-time Grand Slam winner Naomi Osaka. In anticipation, the company is releasing a series of new meditations and a pre-match playlist in partnership with Osaka centered around preparing for a big event, timed with the kickoff of the U.S. Open.

"It wasn't until I started to talk about my mental health that I realized this is what I needed to do because the most important thing for anyone to understand is they're not alone," said Wambach. "It's an honor to be invited to speak at Elevate because if I can help at least one person realize they are not alone, I've had an impact."

During her keynote, Wambach will discuss her journey to success and all the challenges and learnings she's faced along the way. As an advocate for women and equality, she will also discuss the glaring pay disparity in sports and the moment she decided to break her silence. The session will be moderated by Modern Health Founder and CEO Alyson Watson.

"I was a Division 1 college athlete so I've personally experienced the dynamics in sports that can trigger mental health issues. Similar to business pressures, athletes have to navigate unrealistic expectations for perfection, public pressure to succeed, continued focus to reach that next milestone and outwork competitors, all of which takes a heavy toll on mental health," said Watson. "Abby is one of the courageous athletes who has publicly talked about her career journey while navigating mental health and female inequality, and I'm thrilled she'll be part of our conference this year."

In the next phase of its partnership with Osaka, Modern Health released a pre-match playlist curated by the tennis champion, along with a new series of meditations titled "Embrace the Moment" that she's narrated, centered around preparing for a big event. Osaka's pre-match playlist, available to everyone on Spotify, includes personally selected songs from her go-to genres, including Hip Hop, R&B, as well as her favorite Asian artists like SHAUN.

The two latest meditations are focused on recognizing and overcoming challenges to achieve success. From preparation to reflection, these meditations encourage you to embrace life like a champion. They are available now to Modern Health members and non-members. These meditations come on the heels of Osaka's introduction to meditation that was released earlier this year, and Modern Health will be releasing more meditations throughout the year co-created by Osaka and designed around her own experiences.

"Meditation didn't come easy for me at first, but now I find it really helpful as it has helped me focus on my breath and calm my nerves," said Osaka. "I am really proud of the meditations I am developing with Modern Health. They feel approachable for anyone whether they are just starting out with meditation or if they practice regularly."

The theme for Elevate 2022 is "inspiring cultural change in workforce mental health" with conversations and interactive sessions focused on destigmatizing mental health, breaking down barriers of access to clinical care and providing strategies to navigate the future of mental wellness in the workplace. In addition to Wambach's keynote, day two of Elevate will include a session about financial health featuring award-winning actor, best-selling author, humanitarian, and Founder/CEO, The Black Wall Street App and Wallet, Hill Harper.

"With a potential recession looming, it's critically important to be proactive in protecting our financial health before it's too late," said Harper. "There's no denying the mental health toll of financial stress. For the hundreds of thousands of people living paycheck to paycheck, financial stress can be a visceral and debilitating feeling, which is why I'm passionate about financial literacy and looking forward to discussing ways to mitigate its negative impact on our mental health."

The full agenda and registration details are available here.

About Modern Health
Modern Health is the comprehensive mental health and wellness platform that combines the WHO well-being assessment, self-service wellness kits, a global network of certified coaches, and licensed therapists, all available in a single app. Modern Health empowers employers to lead the charge in acknowledging that mental health is just as important as physical health, destigmatizing the conversation, and increasing accessibility of mental health services for all.

Founded in 2017, Modern Health incorporates evidence-based psychology principles and seamless technology to serve the needs of companies globally. Headquartered in San Francisco, Modern Health has raised more than $172 million from Founders Fund, Battery Ventures, Felicis Ventures, Kleiner Perkins, Afore Capital, MGV, Frederic Kerrest (co-founder of Okta), and 01 Advisors.

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