Emilie Livingston and Jeff Goldblum Image by Getty Images

With the nation’s hearts and minds turned to therapeutic intervention in the wake of the terrible loss of Kate Spade and Anthony Bourdain this week, let’s turn to the story of a couple who speaks openly about the benefit of seeking care.

Emilie Livingston, the former Olympian and Canadian aerial gymnastics champion, posted a tribute to her husband, actor Jeff Goldblum, on Instagram on Thursday. In a note under a picture of the couple, she spoke about her love for her husband and describing their journey with their therapist, no small feat in an age when therapy is stigmatized and couple’s therapy, particularly, is regarded as a sign of trouble rather than an indication of a healthy relationship.

Livingston wrote that her husband “always makes me feel loved and appreciated — from the very first day we met” but that she doubted her feelings because, she wrote, “I hadn’t experienced such innocent, passionate, tender, honest love before so quickly.” Livingston, who has served as body double for Emma Stone and Rihanna, had never been married when she met Goldblum in 2011, while the actor had been married twice, first to actress Geena Davis and then to actress Patricia Gaul. Livingston wanted a family, and “knowing he might not want kids or to marry again,” she wrestled with fear for a long time before being able to speak openly to Goldblum, she said.

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Loved and appreciated! @jeffgoldblum always makes me feel loved- from the first day we met! At first I wondered if this feeling could be true because I hadn’t experienced such innocent, passionate, tender, honest love before so quickly. Some people like to play games and play hard to get but we were just honest and aware from day one and took our relationship day by day until I had to express my feelings of wanting a family with HIM and to share the rest of my life with his beautiful soul! That was a scary day, opening myself up completely, knowing he might not want kids or to marry again. And we just kept talking about it together and with our therapist until we decided that it was the right thing to do! Ladies stay true to yourself, have fun but when it stops being fun be honest with yourself and your mate and be open to discussions that may be uncomfortable at first but worth releasing in a calm and safe environment!!! I love this man with ALL of my heart! ♥️ Thank you universe ??

A post shared by Emilie Goldblum (@emiliegoldblum) on Jun 7, 2018 at 1:29pm PDT

Luckily Goldblum has, according to his now-wife, a “beautiful soul.” So the couple “just kept talking about it together and with our therapist until we decided that it was the right thing to do!” In 2014, totally disregarding my opinion that a person who has been married to Geena Davis should pledge loyalty to her and live like a monk forever, Goldblum and Livingstone married. Today they have two young children.

“Ladies,” wrote Livingstone, “Stay true to yourself, have fun but when it stops being fun be honest with yourself and your mate and be open to discussions that may be uncomfortable at first but worth releasing in a calm and safe environment!!!”

In other words: if you want to be as happy as a Canadian gymnast married to Jeff Goldblum (and I think we all do,) go see a therapist.

Jenny Singer is the deputy Lifestyle editor for the Forward. You can reach her at [email protected] or on Twitter @jeanvaljenny

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