Selena Gomez is the subject of a new documentary, My Mind and Me, and her longtime friend Raquel Stevens frequently appears alongside her. She even details what Gomez’s scariest mental health moment was when he suffered a psychotic episode in 2018.
“If someone had seen what I saw in the state she was in in the psychiatric hospital, they would never have recognized her. I was devastated because mental illness can last from days to weeks to months to years and even a lifetime,” Stevens said.
In the documentary, Stevens travels with Gomez to Kenya, then to London and Paris, acting as a true blue friend and voice of reason for Gomez during difficult times. Stevens and Gomez have known each other for years, and the two spoke about their friendship on Stevens’ own show, Giving Back Generation.
Here’s what you need to know about Stevens’ relationship with Gomez.
Stevens is a Los Angeles-based podcast host and creative who is the same age as Gomez.
Stevens, 33, started her podcast video series “Giving Back Generation” in 2019. The second season of the TaTaTu show was released this year.
Stevens actually opened up to ELLE.com about making a second season of the series. The series features interviews with Gomez, author Jay Shetty, vegan chef Ladi Devrkia-Shetty, TV personality Julia de Lellis, and Team USA heptathlete Chari Hawkins.
“After filming Season 1 of ‘Giving Back Generation,’ I was looking forward to continuing the series in 2020, but then the pandemic hit,” she said. “It was a period of much anxiety and reflection. As life began to become somewhat normal again, I found myself having many conversations with friends who were anxious and unsure of what was to come. I was reading articles containing alarming statistics about people struggling with mental health. Through all these conversations and research, I wanted to keep the series the same, where I talk to people about their life journeys and how they use their lives to give back. 3, we will focus specifically on speaking to individuals who are using their platform to make a difference in the mental health field. The conversations we have in both seasons are uplifting and inspirational, while also providing practical ways to improve your mental health in these uncertain times we live in. My hope is that people will be encouraged and know they are not alone.”
Stevens and Gomez have been friends for more than 10 years.
In 2019, they spoke about their friendship on Giving Back Generation, along with two other close friends, Ashley Cook and Courtney Lopez.
“We decided to do this because we want to see more friendships like this,” Gomez said of the group’s decision to discuss their relationships. “I think I need to do that, because when I was a kid, I went to school for a little bit before homeschooling. People think that if my cousin wasn’t the captain of the cheerleading team, I would have been ruined, because I was just a nerd and just played like one person. What makes it difficult is that people, at least when I say hello or talk to people, they always talk about friendship. They always say, you know, “I don’t have many friends,” she says, and she doesn’t like talking to people because she’s afraid of getting burned. That’s what I love about it, even my fans, they all know your name and feel connected to you guys. I just wanted to share it. Because I hope that what we get out of this is also what we just hope for. I want to be an example of friendship and what it looks like and its importance. ”
“I would like to see more friendships like this,” Stevens later added. “I want people to embrace qualities like forgiveness and vulnerability and honesty. I think that’s really important.”
Gomez credits Stevens and two other close friends, Ashley Cook and Courtney Lopez, for saving her.
Gomez and Cook gave separate interviews about their friendship with Stevens on the second season of Giving Back Generation. Talking about how her friends have helped her mental health, Gomez said, “I think what I’ve learned, especially in my life, which has had its ups and downs, is that you guys have been my friends for over 10 years now and understand those moments in my life. And I have to say that my friendships really saved me a lot because I was aware of who I was around, so the people in my life were nice people, people with substance. I live a normal life and have priorities and responsibilities that I may not have. I have a lot of responsibilities, but being able to pick up the phone and call someone I respect is so great and so important. Respect their opinions and don’t just tell them what they want to hear. They’ll tell you all kinds of things, of course they’re going to listen to you. They’re going to tell you how much they love you, but at the end of the day, if I say something, it’s very important to me that if I make a mistake or feel like I’m on the wrong path mentally, I pick up the phone and call someone I know and trust. And my life has really changed throughout this whole pandemic. “I think we got along really well, and all we had was each other, and that was enough for me. And that’s when I realized, ‘Oh, life can be so many things.’ You have to let the people you spend your life with be good to you.”
Stevens and Gomez have matching “4” tattoos.
In August 2018, Gomez revealed that she and Stevens, Cook, and Lopez got the tattoos as a sign of their friendship. “#4 because they’ve been by my side for 7 years (@ashley_cook 12 years) 4 and you’re 4 for the rest of my life,” Gomez wrote. “I love you all. You inspire me to be better, stronger, and closer to God. And we’ve already lived the most insane stories together. Can’t wait for 50 more!! P.S. @raquellestevens actually had a panic attack 🙄 That’s the point! 🤦🏽♀️”
Stevens appears on My Mind and Me with Gomez with Selena + Chef.
Reflecting on the documentary, Stevens wrote, “I’m grateful to have been a part of this project over the past few years. Thank you @selenagomez for having the courage to be so vulnerable. And our friendship has been such a blessing throughout this process. Thank you @alekkeshishian. I can’t wait for you to see it on November 4th on @appletvplus #MyMindAndMe.”
She also talked about her time on the latest season of Selena + Chef.
Stevens is an author and her first book, The Sunshine Mind, was published on January 31, 2023.
The book combines faith (Stevens is a Christian) and mental health. According to its website, “Sunshine Mind is a guide to finding hope and joy in every day and becoming the beautiful person God created you to be. Written by Tanya Ladd (Steele), true and honest, sharing from personal experience. Co-author Buns) and Raquel wrote Sunshine Mind with today’s women in mind. Each of the 100 inspiring readings provides faith, hope, strength, and peace, and encourages you to be the beautiful person God created you to be.”
Stevens announced the book news on her Instagram in late October 2022, saying, “I’m so excited to announce that my amazing friend @tanyarad and I are coming out with a book!! We’ve put so much love and thought into our writing this past year, and we’re so grateful to see it all come to life. ☀️🙏🏻😭,” she wrote.
HarperCollins Christian Pub. Sunshine Mind: 100 Days to Find the Hope and Joy You Want
Stevens is a Type 7 on the Enneagram.
Stevens revealed his Enneagram type in Giving Back Generation: Type 7, Enthusiastic. Gomez is a Type 4, an individualist. Gomez says of the test, “It’s pretty accurate. It’s not spiritual. Nothing. It’s actually a common test that people take. Honestly, it’s a very important tool.”
Stevens added, “The more we get to know each other, the more we can see each other in our shoes, including our annoying traits.”
Stevens’ Instagram occasionally features photos of her travels and her friendship with Gomez, Cook, and Lopez.
Stevens shared images with Gomez on Instagram from their December 2019 trip to Kenya, which is one of the most moving parts of the documentary.
In March 2022, she shared stunning photos from her trip to Egypt.
She also shared a behind-the-scenes look at her friendship with Gomez, Lopez, and Cook. On Gomez’s 30th birthday, she celebrated their 10 years of friendship. “We’ve been together for 10 years and we’re so grateful! Happy 30th Celie, we love you so much ❤️,” she wrote.
Stevens responded to the backlash she received after the documentary was released in February 2023.
Some fans didn’t react to the documentary in the way Gomez and Stevens expected, calling her “controlling.” She responded to the backlash during an appearance on the podcast “Chicks in the Office” on Feb. 3.
“Anytime you do something in public in life, you’re subject to other people’s opinions,” she told the host. “If you can’t stand the heat, you just don’t go there. But the biggest thing for me was that this documentary was such a beautiful piece of work that Selena put out to the world in a very vulnerable way…It’s the story of her life, and part of what was in that documentary was our friendship. It’s special and honest and real.”
She continued, “This piece reminds us that when people scroll through Instagram or TikTok, or watch a documentary, they’re only seeing a small glimpse into that person’s life, not the whole picture. And the truth. It’s a friendship that we’ve had for the last 10 years, because it’s real and honest and I’m so grateful for that…and I appreciate that it’s included in the documentary, because I think that’s important.” Look, I think it’s great that Selena welcomes honesty in her friendships, and I welcome that in my life too. ”
Overcoming negative emotions wasn’t that difficult for her.
“When one’s inner life is strong and one lives one’s life with integrity, one can sleep peacefully every night,” Stevens concluded. “And it doesn’t matter what you face or what you’re going through. There’s peace in living authentically. So I’m really at peace with who I am. I know what kind of friend I am. Really anyone can say anything, but I have an unwavering peace.”
She joined Gomez on his bachelorette trip to Cabo.
In August 2025, Stevens traveled to Mexico to celebrate Gomez’s bachelorette weekend ahead of her wedding to Benny Blanco. The trip brought together several of Gomez’s closest friends, including Ashley Cooke and Courtney Lopez.
A source told Us Weekly: “It was a fun weekend, but a cold weekend. They have been close to her for over 10 years, so it meant a lot to them to celebrate this moment together.”
She attended Gomez and Blanco’s wedding in California in September 2025.
Stevens was also in attendance when Gomez and Blanco tied the knot in California on September 27, 2025. The ceremony was attended by Gomez’s longtime friends, including Taylor Swift, Cara Delevingne, Nina Dobrev, and Ed Sheeran.
Although Stevens did not post any photos from the event, she shared Gomez’s wedding announcement on her Instagram Stories, according to People.
