Joshua Goldman
Joshua Goldman
min read · September 10, 2025 · Entertainment

Ashley Judd's Healing Journey: Finding Wisdom After Family Trauma

Ashley Judd has been struggling to find peace after 40 years of pain from her upbringing (pictured above in a recent social media post)

ASHLEY JUDD: THE HOLLYWOOD STAR'S JOURNEY TO HEAL FROM HER TRAUMATIC PAST

In a shocking revelation, Ashley Judd has finally opened up about her 40-year-long struggle with pain and trauma from her upbringing in one of the most famous families in Hollywood. The A-list actress, who has starred alongside some of the biggest names in the industry, including Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Matthew McConaughey, Sandra Bullock, Natalie Portman, and Salma Hayek, has been on a mission to reconnect with herself and find peace.

According to sources close to the star, Judd's childhood was anything but normal. Growing up in a family of famous parents - her mother, Naomi Judd, was a legendary singer and her sister, Wynonna Judd, is a country music icon - Ashley was forced to work for them from a young age, sacrificing her own childhood. "She had to grow up too quickly," the insider revealed. "She never got to experience a normal childhood."

Adding to the mix is a massive Hollywood career that focused on her stunning looks and hot body. Her hit films were A Time To Kill, Double Jeopardy and Kiss The Girls

But that wasn't the only source of trauma in Judd's life. As an adult, she found herself in the demanding world of Hollywood, where pressure to look good under the spotlight was intense. She recalls working on blockbuster films like A Time To Kill, Double Jeopardy, and Kiss The Girls, but admits it took a toll on her mental health.

Now 57, Judd has finally begun her healing process with the help of a "wisdom teacher" who is guiding her towards unfiltered happiness. Sources close to the star claim that she's seeking to experience the joy she never had as a child and wants to become totally selfless, allowing her to find her true self.

This newfound journey of self-discovery began for Judd when she posted on Instagram in late August from her vacation in Greece. In a heartfelt caption, she wrote about looking inside herself to find answers and wanting to fall in love with herself again. She also hinted that her family and society had distorted her natural feelings of self-worth and self-care.

The 57-year-old Hollywood icon has begun her healing process by listening to her 'inner voice' with the help of a 'wisdom teacher' that is guiding her to unfiltered happiness

"I cannot give what I do not have," Judd wrote. "Trauma & deprivation I do not transform, is trauma & deprivation I will transfer. Thus, I start with myself. Trusting myself, my inner knowing, growing own capacity & nurturing inner resource, has been the yield & bounty of 20 years of recovery."

This isn't the first time Judd has spoken out about her traumatic past. In April 2022, she delivered a poignant speech at the White House about suicide prevention after her mother's sudden passing. Naomi Judd died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the age of 76.

Ashley took to the stage in a flowing white summer dress but wrapped a hessian blanket over her legs as she took the microphone in hand. "I'm here because I am my beloved mother's daughter and on the day she died, which will be the two-year anniversary in one week, the disease of mental illness was lying to her and with great terror convinced her that it would never get better," she began.

'She wants to experience the joy she never had as a child,' said the pal. 'Her hope is to loose all the drama and expectations and splash around like a silly child'

Judd went on to share details about her mom as she divulged: "She also lived most of her life with an untreated and undiagnosed mental illness that lied to her and stole from her. It stole from our family, and she deserved better." Naomi Judd had battled significant anxiety, depression, and bipolar disorder.

Ashley talked about her own experience with depression as she explained: "I'm also here because I was molested by a man for the first time that I remember when I was seven years old. That's when I had onset of childhood depression, and I know the feeling of not wanting to be here but I had a different experience because I went to treatment in 2006 for unresolved childhood grief and sexual trauma."

In January, Judd appeared on an episode of CNN's All There Is with Anderson Cooper to discuss her mother's death. Ashley said: "It was traumatic and unexpected because it was death by suicide and I found her but added she was 'so glad' she was there for her mother after her death.

'Ashley hopes to become totally unselfconscious so she can find her true self,' the insider added. This lines up with a late August Instagram post that Judd made while on vacation in Greece. The star said in her caption that was looking inside of herself to find answers

The star has been open about her own struggles with mental health, including a painful childhood experience of being molested at the age of seven. She has been in good recovery for 18 years and carries a message of hope and recovery.

In recent months, Judd has been focusing on her personal growth, enrolling in a PhD program at UC Berkeley in 2016 to pursue Public Policy. However, she still posts regularly on Instagram, proving that even in her mid-50s, she looks fabulous.

Sources close to the star claim that Judd's desire for self-discovery is a journey towards healing and finding inner peace. "She wants to experience joy like never before," they said. "She hopes to become totally unselfconscious so she can find her true self."

An image from Double Jeopardy where she was in jail

As Ashley Judd embarks on this new chapter of her life, fans are eager to see how she will rise above the trauma of her past and shine brighter than ever.

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