Derry Girls star Jamie-Lee O'Donnell has revealed she went 'no contact' with her entire family after a period of 'intense therapy' that also prompted her to move to Barcelona.
The 39-year-old actress, known for playing Michelle in the hit comedy set during the Troubles, explained her decision on the Dish from Waitrose podcast with Nick Grimshaw and Angela Harnett.
Therapy and a fresh start
Jamie-Lee said she decided to 'trust the universe' when choosing Barcelona, after wrapping up therapy back home. She joked: 'I finally did some therapy, which I know is pretty big deal for an Irish woman.'
She described the experience as 'great' but 'really tough', adding that she needed to 'figure some stuff out' after reaching a point where unresolved issues were 'affecting every single thing I do'.
No contact with family
After selling her house, she headed to Spain for a new beginning. When asked about visiting family, she explained: 'Well, that's part of the therapy; I had to go no contact with my entire family. It's just one of those things, and the more I've talked about it and been honest about it, I've seen it's not the most unusual thing for adults, and it's just the way it is.'
She concluded that 'Barcelona was the perfect place for a new start'.
Previous comments on therapy
In a previous interview with Hotpress last December, she shared: 'I was doing therapy for a while back home, trying to unpack a lot of stuff from my childhood. It was sort of running after me for a while – like, I suppose, a lot of people. It was a few years, trying to figure it all out, and come to terms with everything. I finally felt like this year was the time to put it to bed for now, and start looking forward.'
Metro has reached out to Jamie-Lee O'Donnell's representatives for further comment.
