Nina Westbrook on Having 'the Skills' to Deal with Criticism Towards Russell and Their Family (Exclusive)

The mental health expert opens up about life in the public eye as a former college athlete and wife to NBA star Russell Westbrook

Nina Westbrook is a licensed marriage and family therapist, but she didn't realize the importance of mental wellness until she began playing basketball at UCLA.

"I was not someone who struggled significantly until college," says Nina, 34, of her mental health journey.

The Bene by Nina founder says at that time, "it felt like the whole world was opening up to me, and I was trying to figure out how to belong to that type of system in collegiate sports."

The coping mechanisms she utilized at UCLA have proven to be valuable skills for navigating life as the wife of an NBA star, she says. She and husband Russell Westbrook, now in his 15th year in the NBA, married in August 2015 at the Beverly Hills Hotel. They share son Noah, 4, and twin daughters Jordyn and Skye, 3.

Related: Who Is Russell Westbrook's Wife? All About Nina Westbrook

"In my family, we definitely live by this idea that we cannot live up to other people's expectations. Just knowing and accepting that has definitely given me more courage and strength to uphold my boundaries," Nina explains.

Russell holds nine NBA All-Star selections, was the league's MVP in 2017 and appears on the prestigious 75th Anniversary Team. Yet, Russ has been made the punching bag by NBA fans and media for years.

The failed experiment making him the Lakers' third star next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis accelerated the negativity around Russell as a player and even forced Nina to reconsider bringing their children to his games during the 2021-22 season.

During a press conference at the time, Russell opened up about the impact the harsh criticism has had on his well-being. "I've been blessed and super thankful for the ones around me and the ones that support me, but the shaming of my name, the shaming of my character, is not warranted," he said.

"This is a game. This is not my entire life. It starts to affect my family, my wife, my mom. I don't even want to bring my kids to the game because I don't want them to hear people calling their dad names."

Nina also addressed the fans' behavior that season. "When I'm being harassed on a daily basis over basketball games, and I'm having obscenity's and death wishes for me and my family sent my way because you're expressing your 'truth', it's hard for me to get on board with that," she wrote on Twitter at the time.

The "biggest challenge" for the Westbrooks is the lack of control of how things "play out and get back to our children," Nina tells PEOPLE.

She continues, "I have skills and people I turn to for advice, so fortunately for me, I'm not very affected by things that happen outside of my circle, but my kids are young, and they don't have that same experience," she says, adding that her children "shouldn't have to deal with" this issue at their young age.

Through their mental health work and Bene by Nina, which offers mental health workshops and valuable resources for support, including Nina's new Do Tell card game (think Cards Against Humanity meets therapy), Nina and Russell are living their best lives.

"I go for the things I want, and I do that confidently knowing that I have the support of my family behind me. Watching my kids and my husband do the things that they love with such enthusiasm inspires me."

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Read the original article on People.