Girija Oak has taken the internet by storm, earning the endearing title of the nation's newest crush. The talented actress, recognized for her role as Inspector Zende alongside Manoj Bajpayee and her appearance in Shah Rukh Khan's blockbuster 'Jawan', is now gearing up for her upcoming series 'Perfect Family'.
A Personal Connection to On-Screen Therapy
The new show delves into the world of family therapy, a subject that hits remarkably close to home for Oak. For her, therapy is not merely a plot device; it has been a fundamental part of her own life since her teenage years, a journey that began in the wake of her parents' separation. Girija is the daughter of the acclaimed Marathi actor, Girish Oak.
Reflecting on her formative years in a conversation with News18, Girija candidly shared, "I come from a broken family. They separated when I was much younger." She clarified that her introduction to therapy was not preventive but was sought as a curative measure for symptomatic issues she was experiencing. "The first reaction was to go to a physician – my family doctor – to see what’s wrong with me. There was something wrong with me, only not physically. He directed me to a psychiatrist," she recounted. It was during her first psychiatric consultation at the age of 17 that she was advised to speak with a therapist, marking the start of her mental health journey.
The Wish for a Family Healing Process
While therapy was instrumental in helping her navigate the complex emotions stemming from her parents' split, Girija expresses a poignant regret. She wishes the healing process had been a collective family effort. "Therapy has been an inward process for me, but if I could go back and get my parents along with me, I would. It would’ve made a huge difference, not just to me but to them also," she revealed.
She elaborated on the intricate emotional dynamics that a family breakup entails, noting that there are no simple solutions. "When my family broke up, there was a lot of guilt on their part also. It was a choice between what they should do for themselves as individuals and what they should do for the whole unit," Girija explained. She believes that her parents, burdened by this guilt, ultimately chose their own paths. "I had so many questions. I wish I could take them both with me and we could do this as a family because when you spend so much time with someone, that relationship is marked with a lot of baggage."
Therapy as an Ongoing Anchor
Girija Oak also admitted that even today, she finds it easier to confide in a professional than in her own family. Opening up to those close to her doesn't always come naturally. "I can’t share a lot of things with my mother, maybe because she knows me too well. Had she been a stranger, I perhaps could’ve opened up to her," she confessed.
This is where her therapist continues to play a vital role. "Intermittently, as and when I felt the need to talk, I go to my therapist," she says. Her therapeutic relationship has evolved over the years, involving different professionals. "It has been a long relationship and not with one therapist. I couldn’t go back to the same person and so, I changed therapists over the years. But it has been an ongoing process for me," Girija stated, emphasizing the continuous and essential nature of mental health care in her life.
