Former First Lady Michelle Obama has opened up about undergoing therapy as she navigates a major life transition, addressing recent speculation about her marriage to former President Barack Obama.
Speaking candidly on The Jay Shetty Podcast, the 60-year-old shared that she is currently in therapy to help her through the emotional shift of becoming an “empty nester” after decades of public life, parenting, and national service. Her daughters, Malia, 26, and Sasha, 23, have both moved out and are pursuing careers and further education.
“At this phase of my life, I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning, you know?” Obama said. “I’m 60 years old, I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I’m an empty nester, my girls … they’ve been launched.”
She described the shift as a moment of personal reckoning now that her time is no longer consumed by raising children or serving public responsibilities. “I now don’t have the excuse of, ‘Well, my kids need this’ or ‘My husband needs that’ or ‘The country needs that,’” she explained. “Every choice that I’m making is completely mine.”
Obama said she’s seeking professional support during this phase because she believes in “getting a tune-up” for her mental health and sees therapy as a healthy and empowering choice. “I am an advocate of it. Everybody needs to find their form of it, the best way they can.”
Her comments come after unfounded rumours swirled online about a possible split with Barack Obama, fueled by his solo appearances at high-profile events, including President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and Donald Trump’s second inauguration. Michelle publicly addressed the gossip last month during an interview on Sophia Bush’s Work in Progress podcast.
“That’s the thing that we as women struggle with—disappointing people,” she said. “So much so that this year people couldn’t even fathom that I was making a choice for myself … they had to assume that my husband and I are divorcing.”
She criticized societal expectations that women must always prioritize others, noting that decisions made for personal well-being are often misinterpreted or judged harshly. “This couldn’t be a grown woman just making a set of decisions for herself, right?” she said. “But that’s what society does to us.”
