Yes. Given half the chance, I actually can make a random Portland connection to practically any startup story. So when I saw that NBA player Kevin Love — who was named Gatorade National Male Athlete of the Year his senior year at Lake Oswego — was an investor in mental fitness app Coa, I had to post something about it.
Why did Kevin choose to invest in the company? Coming to grips with his own mental health.
Here was a pro athlete, among the best of the best, and he was openly talking about his vulnerability. Here was a man who had spent the better part of his life building his body into an elite basketball machine, but who had not spent enough time on his mind. “It’s kind of strange when you think about it,” he wrote. “In the NBA, you have trained professionals to fine-tune your life in so many areas. Coaches, trainers, and nutritionists have had a presence in my life for years. But none of those people could help me in the way I needed when I was lying on the floor struggling to breathe.”
How can Coa help?
We believe that taking care of your mental health is an ongoing practice. We believe in the value of a live experience with ongoing support. We believe in community empowering each of us to find the strength, resilience, and agency needed to live and feel our best.
At Coa, we are building a home for therapy, emotional fitness classes, and community. A place where connection and self-discovery are valued and accessible.
For more on Kevin’s journey with mental health, read “Everyone is going through something.” For more on the startup, visit Coa.
(Hat tip Micah Baldwin)
