Michael Phelps’ Wife Opens Up on Keeping Kids’ Mental Health in Check After Husband’s Breakdown

Weighing the nation’s expectations on one’s shoulders is sure not easy, and Michael Phelps attests to it. “I think throughout my career I was put up as this American icon, this perfect poster boy of everything; But I’m human,“ remarked the legend recently, recalling his battle against depression. The 5x Olympian first perceived he was unwell after the 2004 Olympics. However, his neglect made it a recurrent pattern until he finally addressed his depression in 2014.

Ever since Phelps has been a strong mental health advocate, his foundation’s “Open Up” initiative is progressing by leaps and bounds to save lives and help numerous people. But not just socially, Michael Phelps is a role model for his kids at home too. As parents, he and Nicole seem to collectively ensure they follow certain mindful practices for their family’s mental well-being, even on difficult days.

Michael and Nicole strive to maintain a healthy sanctuary for their kids

Growing up, children’s minds are highly influenced by their surroundings, especially within their homes.  Emphasizing this idea, Nicole Phelps has added an Instagram story, re-sharing a post by Parent TV, that reads, “The most powerful way to teach children emotional regulation is by modeling it ourselves.” With this, she exhibits her conviction in setting an example of ‘good emotional regulation’ for their kids to emulate.

However, Nicole captions the story with, “And it’s so hard sometimes,” suggesting how challenging this can be occasionally. Especially, with Phelps’ long-standing struggle with depression, the idea of personifying a model for their kids can at times be tough. However, as parents of four, Nicole and Michael seem to be truly making a conscious effort to familiarize their kids with the fundamentals of mental health.

Particularly, in his interview with Kristen Welker, aired on NBC’s YouTube channel, Phelps talked about how his ups and downs were always “in the public eye.” But without shoving them down and pretending everything was okay, he thought making a generational shift was ideal. And to openly show that he was “not doing very well.”

He then cited an example from his household, saying, “When I am having a bad day, my kids see me cry. My kids see me scream. They see me just breaking down. And they understand what’s going on.” Michael further cited a personal anecdote, saying, “We implemented this thing called Lion Breath.” It is a deep breath followed by getting to roar as loud as you can. And by this technique of venting out, he claimed sometimes he’s able to drop his shoulders.

Therefore, by breaking it down into small, comprehensible exercises for their kids, Nicole and Michael are teaching them to confront their struggles and embrace their emotions. Phelps even talks about how he prioritizes teaching his kids to communicate instead of compartmentalizing their feelings. Therefore, from a stage of contemplating suicide to normalizing mental health for his kids, Phelps has come a long way. And this has been made possible by the instrumental support of his partner, Nicole.

Nicole supports Michael Phelps in every domain of his life

Not just understanding her husband’s fight against depression, but Nicole shares a similar vision as Michael in terms of spreading awareness regarding mental health. In her recent Instagram story, she underscored the need to be kind, as “literally everyone” is going through a lot. Skimming through her social media, one can see that she frequently shares about topics like mental health and parenting.

Speaking to People Magazine, Phelps even voiced his appreciation for Nicole’s ability to empathize with him. He had said, “For 15 years, Nicole has seen me go up and down. There’s no other person that would be able to support me like she has.” He even called her the glue that holds the entire family together.

But perhaps it has been more difficult than it seems. She has suggested that it’s not always easy to run the whole family unit, especially when things are downhill. But her vigor to keep going is what makes her the backbone of the family.