How Celebrity Wellness Expert Poppy Jamie Reclaimed Her Own Mental Health

Poppy Jamie’s Happy Not Perfect shares personal battle of overcoming anxiety.

By Beth Sobol Jun 08, 2021 12:00 PMTags
Watch: Prince Harry Secures New Job With Mental Health Firm

Wellness expert Poppy Jamie wants you to know that even A-listers aren't always living their best lives—and she knows from experience. 

"I've been in rooms and parties with some of the most gorgeous, successful people in Hollywood," Poppy, the host of the mental health-focused podcast Happy, Not Perfect and global wellness advisor to Erno Laszlo, tells E! News. "People who everyone would say just really won life. And yet, in their minds, there's always someone prettier, more successful, wealthier, more intelligent. There's not one famous person I've met who thinks, ‘Yes, I've got it all.' They've ticked all these boxes, yet they're still unhappy."  

Back in 2009, she kicked off her career as a celebrity journalist, interviewing stars like Jude Law and ultimately landing her own talk show in 2015. Next came an accessories brand Pop & Suki with her close pal, actress Suki Waterhouse. But despite what appeared to be a glam life, Poppy suffered an anxiety-induced breakdown that led to hospitalization in 2016. Now, for the first time, she's opening up about her experience in her new self-help guide, Happy, Not Perfect.

photos
Stars Send Powerful Messages on World Mental Health Day

"I had a career firmly set in the entertainment world but the pressure caused me to completely crash," she recalls. "And I was embarrassed. There was so much shame and frustration."
 
After taking a pause, she slowly rebuilt her life, gradually rejecting the idea of what she calls "conventional success" in favor of slowing down and prioritizing her needs. She's sharing the tools she's practiced along the way to help others who may be struggling. "Sometimes the greatest healing comes from storytelling," notes Poppy. "Being able to listen to someone's story and see ourselves in that."

Dave Benett/Getty Images

It's something she's seen a lot of celebrities begin to do. "The conversation is changing so much. You now have Prince Harry talking about breaking generational trauma and mental health being one of the reasons he stepped away from his role," she says. "It's like we're all starting to collectively realize that maybe the way the world told us happiness should look doesn't actually light us up and make us happy."

Adam Braizer

As we emerge from pandemic, "we're redefining a new normal," Poppy continues. "We've got a chance to change the rhythm of the lives we lead. We all have individual strengths and we're all deeply imperfect. It's about living our lives by design, not default and asking, ‘What's going to make my soul sing and what's going to work best for me?'"
 
Happy Not Perfect is out today.