Jen Affleck is on her healing journey.
The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star, 25, who is pregnant with her third child, took to her Instagram Stories on March 4 to open up about her recent time at a wellness retreat. In her post, she revealed that she “spent 11 days away from my loved ones, focusing on healing and working through my trauma.”
“It was definitely one of the most challenging and impactful experiences I’ve ever had 🤍,” she continued. “Not the pregnancy journey I expected, but definitely what baby and I needed.”
Jen gave a glimpse into some of the “moments of processing, learning, pain and healing” throughout her time at the retreat, which included counseling sessions, yoga classes, spending time with horses and painting. She even shared a specific painting of an open field that she created after one of her “most difficult trauma sessions.”
“It’s not every day you have the chance to be surrounded by professionals and mentors who dedicate their time to support you,” she continued. “I am truly grateful for everyone who made this possible.”
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When Jen exclusively revealed her pregnancy with PEOPLE in February, she opened up about the negative impact season 1 of The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives had on her mental health and marriage with husband Zac Affleck, noting, “There were many dark days [and] more to our story than people realize.”
“While I’m not sharing all the details online, it’s been essential for our relationship and mental health to keep our journey private until we’re ready to talk about it,” she continued. “Filming [season 2] can be incredibly mentally draining, and adding pregnancy along with all the challenges I faced this last season was a big challenge.”
Jen previously pushed back against the ongoing criticism from fans around the way Zac treated her throughout the first season online, adding that “dealing with the backlash from season 1 and stepping into season 2 with a lot of baggage [made] this pregnancy [my] toughest.”
“However, those moments, along with carrying this baby, have helped me realize what truly matters most,” she continued. “I’ve learned that help and resources are available if you seek them. This journey has profoundly changed me and shaped the person, mother, and friend I aspire to be.”
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