#BreakingStigma

Michelle Obama recently spoke openly about using therapy to navigate a major life transition. At 60, she describes therapy as a “tune-up” for entering a new phase, after guiding her family through decades of public life. She shared that she has completed a difficult chapter with her family intact and is now navigating emptiness as an empty nester. Her honesty highlights the emotional complexity of redefining personal identity after years of public duties and parental responsibilities.

Former United States First Lady and global role model, Michelle Obama, has spoken candidly about how therapy is supporting her through a new life transition, opening up an international conversation about the mental health needs faced by women—especially during major milestones like empty nest syndrome and the move into later adulthood. In a recent video clip shared by the Daily Mail US, Mrs. Obama revealed that at age 60, seeking therapy has helped her process the “hard thing” of completing a significant phase in her life, maintaining her family’s integrity, and launching her daughters into independence. Her statements—“I’m in therapy right now because I’m transitioning… I’ve finished a really hard thing in my life with my family intact, I’m an empty nester…”—illustrate the emotional complexity of embracing new personal identities after decades of family and public obligations (The Star).