Michelle Obama has revealed she is currently in therapy. This announcement comes after she and her husband, Barack Obama, addressed divorce rumors. The former first lady shared her decision to seek professional help during a conversation on Jay Shetty's "On Purpose" podcast.
She explained that she is navigating a new phase of her life. "At this phase of my life, I'm in therapy right now because I'm transitioning, you know?" she stated in the April 28 episode. Michelle, who is 60 years old, noted that her daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, are now independent.
The "Becoming" author emphasized that she no longer has the same responsibilities. With her children out of the home and she and Barack no longer in public service, she feels a sense of newfound freedom. "I now don't have the excuse of, 'Well, my kids need this' or 'My husband needs that' or 'The country needs that,'" she said.
Rumors of marital issues surfaced when Michelle stepped away from the public eye before President Trump's inauguration. Reports indicated she was on an "extended holiday vacation" in Hawaii. Sources also suggested she had been "checked out" of Washington, DC, life since leaving the White House in 2017.
Barack dismissed the divorce speculation with a birthday message to Michelle in January. He also shared a Valentine's Day selfie of the couple in February. Michelle addressed the gossip on Sophia Bush's "Work in Progress" podcast on April 9.
She expressed frustration with the assumptions made about her marriage. "So much so that people, they couldn't even fathom that I was making a choice for myself, that they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing," she said. Michelle dismissed the idea of a divorce, asserting her right to make her own decisions.