Selena Gomez, Lili Reinhart and More Stars Who've Expressed the Power of Therapy

This Mental Health Awareness Week, learn about your favorite stars' powerful experiences with therapy

By Cassie Esparza Oct 11, 2019 10:00 AMTags
Selena Gomez, Michael B. Jordan, Lili ReinhartShutterstock

We all need somebody to lean on—and for these celebs, that somebody could be their therapists.

As Mental Health Awareness Week comes to an end, we want to remind you that there is no shame in asking for help. Whether it's talking to your friends and family or going to a professional, your mind is important and needs to be cared for like any other part of your body.

Even as mental health issues become increasingly common and public, stigma around topics like anxiety, depression and therapy remains.

This past year, only 43% of adults with mental illnesses received treatment. That's why celebrities who know what it's like to struggle with their mental health have spoken out about the importance of asking for help.

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In being open and honest about their experiences, stars like Lili Reinhart have shown fans that therapy is nothing to be ashamed of—in fact, it's just another step in "the journey of self-love."

Others, like Demi Lovato, have gone even further and organized inspirational talks, group therapy sessions and wellness workshops for those who attended her Tell Me You Love Me and Future Now tours.

Whether you've continuously struggled with a mental illness or simply need a little extra support, the help of a professional could be life-changing.

Learn more about your favorite star's wellness journeys by reading about their thoughts and experiences with therapy below.

Emma Stone

"I was a very, very, very anxious child, and I had a lot of panic attacks. I benefited in a big way from therapy...Improv helped me so much, and I still have anxiety to this day. " —La La Land actress on the Late Show with Stephen Colbert

Michael B. Jordan

"I think therapy, just talking to somebody was something that really helped me out a lot. And as a man, we get a lot of slack for it…That whole ‘what it means to be a man' being masculine, you know, I don't really subscribe to that because I feel like everybody needs to unpack and talk." —Black Panther actor in an interview with Oprah

Selena Gomez

"I wish more people would talk about therapy. We girls, we're taught to be almost too resilient, to be strong and sexy and cool and laid-back, the girl who's down. We also need to feel allowed to fall apart." —"Back To You" singer to Vogue

Shailene Woodley

"I recently started therapy, and it has dramatically altered my life. A few months ago I was the least confident in my self-worth. I don't beat myself up over it anymore, but I still feel like I don't fully trust myself to say no to certain things, to trust my discernment. But I will be, very soon." —Big Little Lies actress to InStyle

Lili Reinhart

"Therapy is never something to feel ashamed of. Everyone can benefit from seeing a therapist. Doesn't matter how old or 'proud' you're trying to be. We're all human. And we all struggle. Don't suffer in silence. Don't feel embarrassed to ask for help." —Riverdale actress to Glamour

Kerry Washington

"Learning how to love myself and my body is a lifelong process. But I definitely don't struggle the way I used to. Therapy helped me realize that maybe it's okay for me to communicate my feelings. Instead of literally stuffing them down with food, maybe it's okay for me to express myself." —Scandal star to Essence

Mandy Moore

"I'm a big proponent of therapy. It's something that I find in my own life to be incredibly helpful...during many different junctures of my life, it's been a common through line." —This Is Us actress to The Huffington Post

Katy Perry

"I've been going to therapy for about five years and I think it has really helped my mental health incredibly. And it's a really wonderful thing to be able to talk to someone who doesn't judge you, because I don't think a lot of people have that. I encourage it." —"Never Really Over" singer on KiiS FM

Jay-Z

"I grew so much from [therapy]. But I think the most important thing I got is that everything is connected. Every emotion is connected and it comes from somewhere. And just being aware of it. Being aware of it in everyday life puts you at such a ... you're at such an advantage." —"Empire State of Mind" rapper to the New York Times

Demi Lovato

"Therapy is something everyone should try. I think that whether you have a mental health condition or not, it's good to talk to somebody—especially someone who is a licensed professional." —"Sorry Not Sorry" singer to The Huffington Post

Kristen Bell

"You do better in the gym with a trainer; you don't figure out how to cook without reading a recipe. Therapy is not something to be embarrassed about." —The Good Place actress to Good Housekeeping

Jennifer Aniston

Go to therapy. Clean up all of the s--t. Clean up all of the toxins and the noise. Understand who you are. Educate yourself on the self." —Friends actress on the advice she'd give her 30-year-old self to Glamour

Jon Hamm

"I did do therapy and antidepressants for a brief period, which helped me. Which is what therapy does: it gives you another perspective when you are so lost in your own spiral, your own bulls--t. It helps." —Mad Men actor to The Guardian