Cheryl Burke Revealed She ‘Forced’ Estranged Husband Matthew Lawrence Into Couples Therapy

“Dancing With The Stars" pro Cheryl Burke opened up about making her ex, Matthew Lawrence, go to therapy with her. Lawrence and Burke met in 2006 and dated a year later. The duo split in 2008 but got back together almost a decade later in 2017.

After two years of dating, they tied the knot in 2019 amid loved ones. While married, Burke repeatedly credited her husband for his role in supporting her in her journey to sobriety and for his continuous impact on her life. They eventually called things off after three years together and cited irreconcilable differences as the cause.

The 38-year-old shed some light on their relationship, recalling when they went to therapy together. According to Burke, the therapy helped their communication for the better.

Burke recently admitted to taking her husband along when she needed therapy long before they got engaged. The TV personality shed some light on the topic during an episode of her podcast, “Burke in the Game," on June 20. There she revealed that after forcing the actor to come along with her, it changed their ways of communication for the better.

She recalled, "My soon-to-be ex-husband, we went to therapy before we even got engaged. I’m a huge advocate for therapy, so I kind of forced him to go. And I think it really helped when it came to communication. And it was consistent throughout from beginning to end.”

Despite her efforts, Burke and her husband, Lawrence, called it quits in January. She continued, “When you reach the point when you’ve done it all in that sense, and you realize we’ve evolved and maybe not together. And you still have this issue, like, ‘Okay, well, the communication may have to stop for a little bit because this is too much to handle,’ do you suggest hiring an attorney at that point?”

This isn’t the first time Burke has opened up to going for therapy with her husband. Three months after the TV personality filed for divorce from the “Boy Meets World” actor, she shed some light on the effort they both put into reconciliation.

In the May 4 episode of “Tamron Hall,” Burke reflected on their almost three-year marriage and revealed that the duo tried to keep things afloat. “Matt and I, we definitely, we were in couples therapy, even before our marriage,” she said.” People evolve, and people grow. And sometimes they grow together, and sometimes, you know, you, unfortunately, grow apart.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cchIcrKbbzs

She also talked about her love for therapy and highlighted the number of misconceptions people had about seeking outside help. She said, “I mean, I think people associate therapy with like, ‘Oh my God, there’s a problem.’ But really I think it’s very healthy to actually have that third person there that’s not biased and can give you ways and tools; I guess you could say, on how to communicate."

The “Dancing With The Stars” pro broke things off with her husband, Lawrence, in January after being married for almost three years. According to the reviewed court documents, their reason was irreconcilable differences.

In the court filing submitted to the Los Angeles County Superior Court, Burke asked that the ability of the court to award spousal support be terminated and cited a prenuptial agreement the two signed on May 20, 2019; a few days before they tied the knot.

Burke announced the news via her Instagram page, asking her followers for understanding and privacy and thanking them for their support. She wrote, “I know I’ve always said I’m an open book with you guys, I do strive to be, and in writing this, I’ve realized there really isn’t an easy way to announce that my marriage is ending.”

“I hope you can understand that I will not be commenting any further at this time, and I’m asking for understanding and privacy. Thank you all for all the kind words and support you’ve given me,” she concluded.

Burke and Lawrence first met in 2006 and started officially dating in 2007; however, they called it quits a year later. The duo started dating again in 2017 and married at the Fairmont Grand Del Mar in San Diego, California, on May 23, 2019.

A year after their marriage, Burke announced that Lawrence was a key supporter during her journey to sobriety. She appeared in an episode of “Good Morning America” and revealed that she didn’t know where she would be without the actor in her life.

“It’s important for me to also surround myself with people that have the same values,” she said. “I noticed that my group of friends has changed since back in my partying and drinking days to now. I have a lot less friends but a lot more meaningful friends."