Howard Stern thinks you should go to therapy... Howard Stern thinks EVERYONE should go to therapy. And, guess what? Howard Stern is probably right. Although, he would likely admit that 'therapy' means different things to different people. For the legendary radio host and former shock jock, 'therapy' means psychotherapy. That's sitting in a room with a psychiatrist. This is something that Howard has been doing for decades now. While some, such as his friend Jerry Seinfeld, believe that he should have been done with therapy ages ago, Howard disagrees. For him, it's life-changing.
Not only has therapy helped Howard in his personal life, including his twenty-plus year relationship with his second wife, Beth Stern, but it's also impacted his career. It's one of the reasons he's calmed down as a performer and not done things just to stir the pot... AKA his career throughout the 1980s, 90s, and early 2000s. While this creative evolution has angered some of his old fanbase, it's opened up the door to millions of new listeners who still adore how brutally honest the man can become. And, as an interviewer, Howard is at the top of his craft. There's no doubt the depth of his questions has been impacted by therapy. But why did Howard really start going to therapy, to begin with?
Howard Stern's Personal Life Depended On Him Going To Therapy And Changing
Fans of Howard Stern know that he's been exceptionally honest about his time in therapy on his SiriusXM satellite radio program, The Howard Stern Show. But because Howard talks for hours on end three days a week, he has tended to give his fans numerous reasons why he started going in the first place. But during an interview with Rolling Stone while he was promoting his 2019 book of interviews, "Howard Stern Comes Again", Howard was even more authentic about why he started therapy in 1999. In fact, he basically came clean about the real reason...
"My first marriage [to Allison Berns] was ending, and I was very confused by that," Howard admitted to Rolling Stone. "I knew there was a lot missing from my life: I was totally neurotic and sort of consumed with work. I took work as the most important thing and the only thing. I knew things weren’t right, and I said, 'Gee, where am I going to get some answers?' I had never been a guy to turn to religion, but then as my marriage was coming to an end, I needed help to explain it to my children and make sense of it all and communicate with them. Because once you are a divorced guy, being a father is a whole different bag."
According to Nicki Swift, and some rare comments from Howard on his radio show, his marriage to the mother of his three daughters ended because of his relationship with his work. There doesn't seem to be any legitimacy to rumors of him cheating... except maybe with work. He was addicted to it. Consumed by it. And he always wanted to be the best and the talk of the town, even if that meant straight-up pissing people off. It makes sense that this eventually got to Allison and tore their relationship apart. This was a big thing for Howard, not only because he had three kids with Allison, but because he had been with Allison since college.
Therapy Was Terrifying To Howard But Ultimately Changed Him
Howard told Rolling Stone that his first therapy session was "very scary".
"I had never really opened up to someone. I never had conversations like that with another human being, let alone a man. And I never in a serious way thought about how I felt about anything. I was completely closed off from my feelings… I remember I started telling him stories like I was on the radio, and I’m laughing, and he goes, 'Why are you laughing? It sounds very important to me. It’s very sad, some of these things you’re saying'," Howard explained.
While Howard may seem to have had a charmed life due to his incredible current financial situation, the truth is that he has a troubled upbringing. He was brutally bullied, dealt with constant antisemitism, didn't connect with his parents (one of whom suffered from crippling depression), and his family was about as lower-middle-class as lower-middle-class got. Even though these experiences no doubt contributed to his ability, to be honest and hilarious on-air, they secretly tore apart his personal life by causing him to be addicted to work and the image he created for himself there. Between therapy, meditation, and meeting his current wife, Beth, Howard has evolved into a man who is deeply introspective about his own life and therefore can have healthier relationships. And yet, Howard can still be all the things he was when he first won over millions of radio listeners.