DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On the evening of May 9, the Dallas Cowboys will team up with Optum, a diversified health services company, to raise awareness of the link between mental and emotional health to support overall wellness. The event begins at 6 p.m. and will offer attendees a chance to learn techniques to help relieve everyday stress and anxiety, including an hour-long yoga session and free access to other tools and services for supporting overall wellness. Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott will kick off the event by welcoming participants and share his personal journey with mental health, as well as his outlook on overcoming adversity.
The free event coincides with national observance of May’s Mental Health Awareness Month and will take place live at The Star, the team’s headquarters in Frisco. Members of the community are invited to register to participate at https://www.dallascowboys.com/community/mental-health/2022/yoga; spaces are available on a first come, first serve basis.
Rates of substance use, anxiety, depression, and other mental health challenges were already trending upward in Texas prior to the pandemic and have become even more critical since. Last year, more than 43% of adults in Texas reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression with more than 3.3 million adults have a mental health condition, according to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI). Among youth, the problem has been declared a national crisis by the U.S. Surgeon General.
“The Dallas Cowboys are excited to partner with Optum to offer the community an hour to come together for a relaxing yoga session on field at Ford Center,” said Charlotte Jones, Dallas Cowboys executive vice president and chief brand officer. “Many people dealt with differing levels of stress during the pandemic, and we hope that this event will provide a welcomed relief and provide resources that encourage positive mental and emotional wellbeing.”
“Optum is excited to join the Dallas Cowboys to discuss the importance of the connection between mental health and overall wellness,” said Dr. Yusra Benhalim, a board-certified child and adolescent and addiction psychiatrist and a senior national medical director with Optum Behavioral Health Solutions. “An important first step in addressing anxiety and depression is helping families know how to talk about these things. I’m pleased that we are coming together with the Cowboys to explore activities like yoga and clinically-informed tools to help begin these conversations and take action to help.”
To help families start those conversations, Optum’s clinical team developed a set of “Conversation Starter” cards to help parents and caregivers break through the one-word answers to spark meaningful family dialogue. These free cards will be available at the event and can be downloaded any time in digital format at OptumConversation.com.
Registration for the in-person “Stretching for Mental Health” event is open to the public at https://www.dallascowboys.com/community/mental-health/2022/yoga/. In addition to the “Conversation Starter” cards, attendees will receive a free yoga mat; a free 30-day subscription to the Sanvello app offering on-demand help for stress, anxiety and depression; and free smoothies from Smoothie King.
About The Star
The Star is the 91-acre campus of the Dallas Cowboys World Headquarters and training facility in Frisco, Texas. Developed as a first-of-its-kind partnership between the City of Frisco, Frisco ISD and the Dallas Cowboys, The Star features Ford Center, a 12,000-seat stadium that hosts Frisco ISD football games, concerts and other events; Cowboys Fit, a 60,000 square-foot gym developed in partnership with leading fitness developer, Mark Mastrov; Cowboys Club, a members-only club where the country club meets the NFL; the Omni Frisco Hotel, a 16-floor, 300-room luxury hotel; Baylor Scott & White Sports Therapy & Research at The Star, a 300,000 square-foot center of excellence for sports medicine; Twelve Cowboys Way, a 17-story, luxury residential tower in partnership between Pro Football Hall-of-Fame Quarterback #12 Roger Staubach, and Dallas-based developer and former Dallas Cowboys center, Robert Shaw; Formation, a dynamic coworking experience offering a collaborative work environment of open workspace, dedicated desks and private offices; as well as a variety of shopping, dining and nightlife options throughout The Star District. For more information on The Star, visit www.TheStarInFrisco.com.
About Optum
Optum is a leading information and technology-enabled health services business dedicated to helping make the health system work better for everyone. With more than 190,000 people worldwide, Optum delivers intelligent, integrated solutions that help to modernize the health system and improve overall population health. Optum is part of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH). For more information, visit www.Optum.com.