4 Ways SI Swimsuit Models Ellie Thumann, Hunter McGrady and Kamie Crawford Prioritize Their Mental Health

From creating routine to seeking out therapy, the three women share how they protect their emotional well-being.

Ellie Thumann, Hunter McGrady and Kamie Crawford / Phillip Faraone/Getty Images, Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images and Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images

Today is World Mental Health Day, an annual occurrence dedicated to raising awareness of mental health-related issues while providing the public with resources and education where well-being is concerned. We here at SI Swimsuit prioritize mental health and wellness all year long, but think it’s especially important to highlight these topics today—which is why we sat down with a few brand stars to talk about how they prioritize their emotional well-being, why they believe community is so important and more.

Two-time brand model Ellie Thumann, 2024 SI Swimsuit Issue cover model and legend Hunter McGrady, and three-time magazine star Kamie Crawford were more than happy to open up where mental health is concerned. Below, the three women share how they prioritize their well-being and offer tips for managing mental health-related matters.

Find something that brings you joy

Whether it’s walking your dog, reading a book or expressing yourself through art, find an outlet that brings you pleasure, says Thumann. For the 22-year-old, taking a mental health walk, enjoying a good takeout meal or talking to a friend helps bring her peace of mind.

“I have been a pacer and needed to move my body in my most anxious moments from day one, and it has stayed consistent,” she explains. “I think on top of this, ordering my favorite meal and climbing into bed with a glass of tea always calms down. The more I sit in that self-sabotaging mindset, the longer it takes to pull myself out. So even if it’s doing one thing to feel a bit more put together and like I’m honoring myself, it truly helps me so much.”

Ellie Thumann / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

Crawford has a similar outlook. Whether she’s traveling or at home, the 31-year-old TV and podcast host makes time to stop by a local coffee shop or take extra time with her skincare routine to treat herself to small pockets of joy throughout her day.

“I recently found out that Black women in particular are more likely to suffer from autoimmune diseases triggered by chronic stress,” Crawford says. “I want to live a long, healthy, beautiful life and in order to do that, I have to prioritize joy and peace above anything that isn’t serving me.”

Seek out community

McGrady, 31, admits that when she was younger, mental health was a bit of a taboo topic. As the only one of her peers in therapy and on medication, she recalls feeling isolated and alone. Because of that, she uses her platforms, like her Instagram account and Model Citizen podcast, to be open and honest about mental health topics in order to make others feel less alone.

“It wasn’t until I was older that I realized taking care of our mental health is just as simple and important as when we have a cut—you put a Band-Aid on it. A headache? Advil. Mental health? Therapy (and sometimes medication as well),” McGrady says. “We have a major mental health problem in our country and it is so crucial we start talking about it even more.”

Hunter McGrady / Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

Thumann concurs that by connecting with others through shared mental health struggles, you create a healthy environment in which you feel less alone. It’s one of the many reasons why she shares both her ups and downs with her social media followers.

“Having mental health struggles is one of the most isolating, and what can feel like debilitating things out there, and I find the most comfort in being able to talk about it, be real and connect to others that may feel [similarly],” she states. “It’s so important, even if it’s resonating with one person watching one of my videos, to make sure they understand that my life is far from perfect and that my mental health is something I have to care for on the daily.”

Don’t be afraid to ask for help

While creating healthy outlets and building community are both healthy ways of prioritizing one’s mental health, Thumann, McGrady and Crawford are all huge proponents of one resource in particular: therapy.

Thumann credits her therapist with helping her to unpack her feelings, and having an unbiassed professional source to work through any mental health-related issues has made all the difference. “Some of my biggest struggles with my mental health are how heavy I feel my emotions, and she is always there to help walk me through it and not make them feel so enlarged or too heavy to carry,” she says.

Meanwhile, therapy is McGrady’s “number one” mental health tool, “and always will be.” Her hope is that everyone try out therapy, as the mom of two believes it is incredibly cathartic to speak with a third party. Crawford feels similarly, and even though she describes herself as “strong-minded” and a “self-starter,” has found therapy to be incredibly beneficial to her emotional well-being.

Kamie Crawford / Emma McIntyre/Getty Images

“We are who we are because of what we’ve been through and unpacking that can give us an even deeper understanding of who we are, what we want and how to communicate our needs effectively and honestly,” Crawford says.

Create a healthy routine

Thumann and McGrady also agree that there are particular elements of their daily routines that help them maintain their mental health. For Thumann, it all begins with how she starts each morning, which includes things like a skincare routine, focusing on mindfulness and enjoying a cup of coffee.

“We don’t even realize how much our mornings affect our mental health because it’s such a subconscious thing,” she explains. “Even if mornings are difficult for you, finding that proper time to unwind or even taking five minutes in the middle of a workday can be so helpful to just sit with yourself and check in.”

As for McGrady, she makes sure to prioritize time connecting with friends, family or nature—away from her phone or any other screens—for the betterment of her mental health. “We live in a day and age where we hardly even make eye contact anymore and deeply listen to what others are telling us,” she notes. “This always seems to center me and remind me what is important.”

And despite the way our mental health can ebb and flow from day to day, Crawford reminds us that despite taking the above tactics into consideration, sometimes you simply have a bad day—but there’s always an opportunity around the corner to start fresh.

“Growing into the best version of yourself is understanding that even the strong person in your life needs someone to be strong for them too and that a bad day doesn’t equal a bad life,” she says. “Tomorrow is a new day and another opportunity at a fresh start.”