'I’m Transitioning': Michelle Obama Reveals She's 'In Therapy' To Help With Her 'Next Phase' in Life — As Barack 'Divorce' Rumors Swirl
Michelle Obama opened up about going to therapy as she 'transitions' to the next chapter of her life.
May 6 2025, Published 5:30 p.m. ET
Michelle Obama has announced she's in "therapy" to help her prepare for the "next phase" of her life as rumors her marriage with Barack is on the rocks continue to swirl, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The former first lady opened up about her personal life and mental health journey during a recent appearance on Jay Shetty's On Purpose podcast.
Michelle confessed she needed support 'transitioning' away from life in Washington D.C.
While discussing her reason to return to therapy, Michelle, 61, told Shetty she needed support because she's "transitioning" after spending eight years in the White House.
She explained: "At this phase of my life, I'm in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know?
"I’m 60 years old, I finished a really hard thing in life with my family intact."
Michelle explained for the 'first time' she's able to make decisions that are 'completely' her own.
The mother-of-two noted the new chapter of her life has also been marked by her daughters – Sasha, 23, and Malia, 26,– growing up and leaving home.
Without the pressures of political life, raising children and tending to Barack's needs, Michelle said she's free to make her own choices.
She continued: "I'm an empty nester. You know my girls are in — they’ve been launched. And now for the first time, as I’ve said before, every choice I'm making is completely mine.
"I now don’t have the excuse of, 'Well my kids need this,' or 'my husband needs that' or 'the country needs that.' So how do I think about this next phase, and let me get some help."
The former first lady said therapy has helped her 'sort through some old guilt' and discuss her relationship with her mom.
Michelle further explained she's always been an "advocate" of therapy, which has been something she's participated in throughout her life, as she likened her recent return to counseling as a "tune-up."
She said: "Let me unwind some old habits. Let me sort through some old guilt that I've been carrying around. Let me talk about how my relationship with my mother has affected how I think about things.
"So, I'm getting that tune-up for this next phase because I believe this is a whole other phase in life for me. And I now have the wisdom to know— let me go get some coaching while I'm doing it so that I have other voices other than the people who know me best.
"I've got a new person that’s getting to know me, and seeing me completely new and hearing all these emotions."
The 61-year-old has been open about going to therapy and how her choices sparked divorce rumors.
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This isn't the first time Michelle has spoken out about going to therapy after spending nearly a decade in the White House.
As RadarOnline.com reported, the 61-year-old addressed divorce rumors being sparked after she made the decision to skip two high-profile Washington D.C. events, leaving Barack to attend solo.
On her IMO podcast with brother Craig Robinson, Michelle declared she's reached the "stage in life where I have to define my life on my terms for the first time."
Part of defining life on her terms meant not attending former President Jimmy Carter's funeral as well as Donald Trump's inauguration.
She explained: "My decision to skip the inauguration, you know, what people don't realize, or my decision to make choices at the beginning of this year that suited me were met with such ridicule and criticism, like people couldn't believe that I was saying no for any other reason, that they had to assume that my marriage was falling apart, you know?
"It's like, while I'm here really trying to own my life and intentionally practice. Making the choice that was right for me. And it took everything in my power to not do the thing that was perceived as right, but do the things that was for me, that was a hard thing for me to do. I had to basically trick myself out of it."
