“Walking away from the Olympic Games was a win in itself.” This powerful statement came from Simone Biles after she made the shocking decision to step down from the women’s gymnastics team finals at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Expectations were sky-high for the G.O.A.T., with many predicting she would leave Tokyo with a collection of five or six medals. Instead, she chose to prioritize her mental health over the podium, walking away with her head held high, despite suffering from a debilitating case of the ‘twisties.’ It was a decision that broke millions of hearts but also sparked a crucial conversation about the importance of mental well-being.

Three years later, Biles made a triumphant return to the world’s biggest stage, competing in her third Olympics after qualifying for the French capital at the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials. With a renewed focus and determination, the 27-year-old set out on what she called Team USA’s redemption tour. And redeem they did—Biles left Paris with four Olympic medals, a testament to her resilience and strength.

In a recent conversation with Aly Raisman for Olympics.com, Biles opened up about her journey back to the top. Raisman, who shared the floor with Biles at the 2016 Rio Olympics, couldn’t help but notice a change in her friend. She admitted she had never seen Biles so calm and confident, to which Biles, all smiles, agreed. When asked if this time around felt different, the Olympian didn’t hesitate: “Yes, this time definitely felt different,” she said. What made the difference? “I owe a lot of it to therapy, making sure I am physically and mentally well. So, I can’t say enough things about therapy,” Biles shared.

After her 2020 Tokyo Olympics debacle, the gymnast didn’t speak about what went wrong until she had worked on herself. Therapy has been a huge part of her life, and she credits that to her confident demeanor on and off the mat. “I feel like that’s where I find my strength nowadays. And so I think that translates to the competition floor.” There were moments when the gymnast looked overwhelmed or stressed out at Bercy Arena, but she confirms that was just her trying to refocus and re-center herself.

While there were no doubts that she would dazzle everyone with her performance on the mat, her return to the Olympics floor had everyone on the edge of their seats. But it wasn’t just her. The Final Five gave everyone a thrilling show of skill at the Bercy Arena. Team USA rightfully claimed back their all-around crown by winning the team finals. The G.O.A.T clinched gold in the individual all-around and the vault while also a silver in the floor finals.

Simone Biles never fails to give her therapist a shout-out

The 27-year-old may not have been nervous before stepping into the French capital, but her fans surely were. After watching her walk away from the competition 3 years ago, many hoped it would be different this time. Unbeknownst to them, the Olympian knew exactly what she needed. She ensured she never missed a session, even while vying for the Olympic hardware. “I saw [my therapist] about three or four times throughout [the Olympics].” She even followed what her therapist told her to throughout the competition.

Compared to her time in the Japanese capital, Simone Biles is in a much better place now. This is all due to making therapy an integral part of her life. However, it took her an incredibly long time to be comfortable with it. But now, she casually would mention therapy every chance she gets. Aly Raisman pointed it out to her, “Yeah, I think it’s incredible how much you are so open about mental health because I know it’s so hard to talk about, but you’re helping so many people.” What do you think of the G.O.A.T.’s inspiring journey?

Oh, you’re still here? You might as well check out the latest Think Tank episode on EssentiallySports. If you’ve heard of one of America’s most talented volleyball players, Madisen Skinner, you wouldn’t want to miss this. Her coach shares some pretty cool insights on his star pupil. Go check it out!