Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Brad Falchuk only ‘fight about one thing’ in couples therapy
Gwyneth Paltrow and husband Brad Falchuk do not fight often, but when they do, it is only about one thing.
In a new interview, the Oscar Award-winning actress and Goop founder opened up about why couples therapy has been "super helpful" when it comes to maintaining a strong relationship with her husband of six years.
"I do a fair amount [of therapy]," she told The Hollywood Reporter. "I speak with my therapist once a week, and then I also have an executive coach I work with. When my husband and I need it, we jump in and do couples therapy, which I think is super helpful if you want to be in a good long-term situation."
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"We don’t go that often, because we only really ever fight about one thing: our kids!" she continued. "We’re here in this body and mind one time; let’s get as close to ourselves as possible and maximize that relationship. The only way to do that is through the hard truth with yourself and vulnerability with someone else, and therapy is a good place to start."
The duo, who first met in 2010 on the set of "Glee," married in 2018 after dating for four years. Paltrow shares two children with ex-husband Chris Martin: daughter Apple, 19, and son Moses, 18. Falchuk has two children from his previous relationship: son Brody, 17, and daughter Isabella, 19.
The fights may sizzle soon as Falchuk and Paltrow are preparing to become empty-nesters in the near future - a concept that has the actress on the verge of a "nervous breakdown."
"It’s kind of giving me a nervous breakdown, if I’m honest," she said while discussing her kids moving out. "I started being like, ‘Oh my God, and I need to quit my job and I need to sell my house and I need to move.’ It’s sort of putting things into turmoil. My identity has been being a mother."
"Apple’s going to be 20 in May. So I’ve oriented my whole life around them and their schedules and when school starts," Paltrow continued. "You start to let go in increments when they’re driving themselves around or doing certain things. It is a slower process. I feel really lucky because I have a close group of mom friends, and we all raised our kids alongside one another. So we’re kind of in it together."
With the help of friends, Paltrow said she is learning to slowly let go of mom guilt.
"Psychologist-astrologist Jennifer Freed said, ‘I would like you to think of it as being free birds instead of having an empty nest.’ And that resonates," she added. "Instead of creating a sense of loss, what if I were free? And I could say yes to a girls’ weekend, because I didn’t feel guilty. That kind of thing."