ESPN host and journalist Stephen A. Smith is the face of a PSA created by the Huntsman Mental Health Institute and the Ad Council. In it, he aims to normalize getting help for mental health issues.

The “Love, Your Mind” campaign originally launched in October 2023 with the goal of encouraging people to seek support when they are experiencing mental health challenges. The PSA, which includes a one-minute TV ad, builds upon the broader campaign by adding a celebrity with whom the target audience can connect.

The TV ad starts out with Smith talking about his own struggles, which were spurred by the deaths of his brother and mother. He reveals how he sought help from his therapist and community to get better.

“I was depressed, miserable in ways I’d never imagined,” Smith says in the video. “I reached out and my sisters came, my pastor, my therapist. They helped me get through it.

“I found that the more I spoke up, the healthier my mind became,” Smith adds, sitting in his television studio with the skyline behind him. “The chaos that was in me began to subside. I was more focused, clear. When you love your mind, you can go so much further.”

On Wednesday, Smith posted about “Love, Your Mind” on his X account. He noted, “I like to debate a lot of things — but mental health is one thing that’s just not up for debate.”

The campaign steers people toward a website that offers resources and information about different emotional states and moods. Users can click on different challenges they may be facing — such as trauma, chronic health issues or relationship troubles — and be directed to a page full of resources on healthy ways of coping.

According to a press statement, the campaign’s goal is to destigmatize asking for and receiving help during dark moments. That’s especially important among Black men, who “often face unique barriers and community stigma when it comes to seeking support for their mental health,” said William Smith, chief executive administrator at Huntsman Mental Health Institute, in the statement.

“By partnering with Stephen Smith to share his powerful story, we will continue to normalize and elevate the importance of taking care of our minds,” Smith added.

The Ad Council has frequently partnered with celebrities in order to reach a wider audience. In recent years, the organization rolled out mental health campaigns featuring Megan Thee Stallion and Elmo.