Former First Lady Reveals Who She & Former President Look to as ‘Marriage ‘Mentors’

Even the couples that seem the most stable and put together need help sometimes. Some couples, such as Bryan Cranston and his wife of 36 years, have been going to therapy since before they got married. “I love my wife, and we want to go the distance, but I want to do it in a healthy way,” he told the British GQ.

Looking towards the couples in your life whom you admire is another solution. For former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, that couple is Bruce Springsteen and his wife, Patti Scialfa.

The Obamas Admire Bruce Springsteen’s Marriage

When Michelle had Springsteen on her “IMO” podcast to chat, one of their conversations centered on therapy. Springsteen told her that he had gone to therapy to be a better dad, because he didn’t want to pass on any of the toxicity he learned from his parents.

Michelle told him that she admired that, and the fact that he and Patti had also gone to therapy. She then revealed that she and Barack look to them as role models for their marriage.

“I marvel at you and Patti and the work that you all have done, because you learn those lessons,” she said. “You and Patti have been couple mentors for me and Barack for quite some time.”

“Watching you guys do the work, getting advice on how to keep those lines of communication open,” she added. She mentions that he and Patti are both “powerhouses in your own right,” who managed to merge their lives successfully.”

Michelle Obama Clapped Back at Breakup Rumors, Says ‘Everyone Would Know’

Michelle and Barack, who have been married for 33 years, have seen their marriage under scrutiny for the past year. Many have surmised that they were headed for a breakup, using examples of them doing things apart as evidence.

When Barack Obama attended former President Jimmy Carter’s funeral and then Donald Trump’s inauguration alone, speculation swirled. A sweet, flirty message he posted on her birthday helped quiet the doubters.

Michelle has been quite vocal that, if they were really in trouble, there wouldn’t be any question in anyone’s mind.

“If I were having problems with my husband, everybody would know about it,” she said on The Diary of a CEO with Steven Bartlett podcast. “He would know it. And everybody would know it. I’m not a martyr. I would be problem-solving in public. ‘Let me tell you what he did.'”