Michelle Obama is back in therapy, not because she’s struggling but because she’s evolving. She’s inviting us all to rethink what it means to ask for help when you’re not in crisis but simply changing.
On a candid episode of “On Purpose with Jay Shetty,” which aired April 28, the former First Lady peeled back the curtain on her mental health journey, revealing she’s in therapy again as she “transitions” into a brand-new season of life. She is just a woman, now 61, getting intentional about her growth.
“At this phase of my life, I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning,” she said. “I’m 60 years old, I finished a really hard thing in life with my family intact. I’m an empty nester… And now, for the first time, every choice I’m making is completely mine.”
From First Lady to First Priority
After eight intense years in the White House, raising two daughters in the public eye, and becoming a bestselling author and global icon, Michelle says she’s now standing in unfamiliar (but exciting) territory.
Gone are the days of centering decisions around her kids, her husband, or the nation. These days, it’s about her. “I don’t have the excuse of, ‘Well, my kids need this,’ or ‘my husband needs that,’ or ‘the country needs that.'”
She admitted that this is both liberating and a little unsettling, which is exactly why she sought help. She calls therapy a “tune-up, ” a space to sort through the residue of decades of responsibility, some lingering guilt, and old patterns that no longer serve this new phase. “Let me unwind some old habits. Let me sort through some old guilt… Let me talk about how my relationship with my mother has affected how I think about things.”
© Getty ImagesNormalizing the Mental Health Maintenance
Hearing one of the most admired women in the world say she’s back in therapy just because she wants to grow is a game-changer. Michelle has long been open about using therapy, but now she’s pushing the conversation further, reminding us that personal evolution doesn’t have to come from a breakdown. Sometimes it just starts with, “What now?”
And this time, she’s not relying solely on familiar voices. “I now have the wisdom to know, let me go get some coaching while I’m doing it. I’ve got a new person that’s getting to know me, and seeing me completely new.”
The Freedom and Pressure of Choosing Yourself
In another revealing moment, Michelle shared how stepping into her independence also sparked speculation. Some assumed that her newfound autonomy must mean trouble in paradise with former President Barack Obama.
© Tom Williams“This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions herself, right? But that’s what society does to us,” she said. Michelle noted how women are often boxed in by outdated expectations, expected to prioritize others, carry guilt quietly, and never rock the boat with bold, self-driven change.
But she’s not playing by those rules anymore. “It’s the first time in my life all of my choices are for me,” she previously shared on “Work in Progress” with Sophia Bush. “I think if I’m honest with myself, I could have made a lot of these decisions years ago. But I didn’t give myself that freedom.”
Transitions Deserve Support
Whether you’re turning 30 or 60, moving across the country, changing careers, or just waking up one day and thinking, “Who even am I right now?” — Michelle’s message is this: it’s okay to pause. To ask for help. To get a tune-up before the wheels fall off.
© AFP via Getty ImagesShe’s not waiting for burnout or a breakdown. She’s choosing to grow with intention. And she’s showing us that even when the world sees you as a powerhouse, you still get to ask, “What’s next?”
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