Barack and Michelle Obama return to couples therapy as they 'double down' to make their marriage work

WASHINGTON, DC: Barack and Michelle Obama are reportedly back in couples therapy to save their marriage from breaking apart, claims a source. 

The former president’s marriage to Michelle has been under the scanner long before he appeared solo at former President Jimmy Carter’s state funeral, as well as President Donald Trump’s inauguration in January. 

While the 63-year-old former president’s successive solo outings earlier this year only managed to fuel the rumor of their marital discord, a source close to the couple is revealing that they have reportedly been seeking help from marriage counselors to bring their marriage back on track.

Insiders reveal Barack and Michelle Obama are taking couples therapy

As the couple of three decades navigates through divorce rumors, Hollywood insider Rob Shuter shared some positive news with RadarOnline. The insider revealed that the Obamas are currently back with marriage counselors in hopes of bringing the spark back in their marriage. 

Dishing that the love between the two is yet not lost, the insider shared, “They love each other deeply, but marriage is work,” before adding, “They’re committed to doing that work — even now.”

“Barack’s always been comfortable with distance, and Michelle’s always been about presence. That dynamic hasn’t changed, even all these years later,” continued the source. 

Despite the immense speculation around their marriage, the Obamas made sure to post heartfelt messages for each other on the occasion of Valentine’s Day in February. 

However, the insider shared that it was not the entire truth, as they claimed, "People see the hand-holding and the cute Instagram captions, but behind the scenes, it’s two people choosing each other every day — and some days are harder than others.”

Nevertheless, the source emphasized that the couple is "not breaking up,” rather, "they're doubling down” in hopes of making their relationship work. 

Amid the rumors, the former president penned a heartfelt note to his wife of more than 30 years on the occasion of Valentine’s Day. 

Sharing their selfie, Barack wrote, “Thirty-two years together and you still take my breath away. Happy Valentine’s Day,” and tagged his wife. 

Sharing the same photo, Michelle too gushed, “If there’s one person I can always count on, it’s you, @BarackObama. You’re my rock. Always have been. Always will be. Happy Valentine’s Day, honey! ❤️.”

Michelle Obama previously opened up about seeking therapy

This is, however, not the first time the Obamas have sought couples therapy, as back in 2018, the former first lady told Oprah Winfrey during an interview for Elle that following the birth of their daughters Malia and Sasha, therapy helped her "explore (her) own sense of happiness."

Michelle explained, "You go because you think the counselor is going to help you make your case against the other person. 'Would you tell him about himself?!' … And lo and behold, counseling wasn’t that at all," before emphasizing, "It was about me exploring my sense of happiness."

She added that what made her seek help in the first place was that she understood she needed support. "What clicked in me was that I need support and I need some from him. But I needed to figure out how to build my life in a way that works for me," shared the mother-of-two. 

In her memoir ‘Becoming’, the Harvard graduate wrote, "When it came down to it, I felt vulnerable when he was away," per The Cut.

When Oprah brought the line up during the interview, Michelle elaborated on the importance of communication in a relationship. 

Foreshadowing the Hollywood insider’s claims on the significance of distance — or the absence of it — in her marriage, Michelle said, “I feel vulnerable all the time. And I had to learn how to express that to my husband, to tap into those parts of me that missed him — and the sadness that came from that — so that he could understand."

She continued, “He didn’t understand distance in the same way. You know, he grew up without his mother in his life for most of his years, and he knew his mother loved him dearly, right? I always thought love was up close.”

“Love is the dinner table, love is consistency, it is presence,” continued Michelle, defining love, while adding, “So I had to share my vulnerability and also learn to love differently. It was an important part of my journey of becoming. Understanding how to become us.”

Michelle’s words, in retrospect, appear poignant, as Barack told Hamilton College president Steven Tepper on Tuesday, April 5, that he was “in a deep deficit” with his wife after his hectic life as the president for two terms.

Speaking at an event, the former president shared, "I was in a deep deficit with my wife. So I have been trying to dig myself out of that hole by doing occasionally fun things."