Katherine Schwarzenegger Breaks Silence On Going To Therapy Before Marrying Chris Pratt

Katherine Schwarzenegger crossed her i's and dotted her i's before saying "I Do" to Chris Pratt!

The author revealed the necessary mental steps she took to ensure her relationship with the "Jurassic Park" actor survives the test of time.

Katherine Schwarzenegger and Chris Pratt got married in 2019 after dating for a year and are parents to three lovely children, in addition to Jack from Pratt's previous marriage.

Schwarzenegger revealed on the new episode of Parenting & You with Dr. Shefali that she was prepared for her new role, not only as Pratt's wife, but as a step-parent to his child.

She consulted a step-parenting therapist as soon as Pratt proposed to her because she understood the big shoes she would be filling.

"And it's been incredibly helpful for me and also just understanding my role as a step-parent," the author noted, reflecting on how co-parenting with her husband's ex is going. Pratt shares a son, Jack, with his ex, Anna Faris, and welcomed two with Schwarzenegger.

Schwarzenegger confessed that although her ego pops in at times, she has since found a way to work around that and understand that the situation is not about her, but the child who is the priority.

The couple began their journey towards a relationship thanks to Schwarzenegger's mother, Maria Shriver, who set them up on a series of dates.

As seen on PEOPLE, Pratt and his wife were first seen together on Father's Day in 2018 at a picnic in Santa Barbara. Since then, the couple has begun spending quality time together and was once spotted out and about with Jack.

In August 2018, the duo reportedly went on a church date, a few days after he shared dinner with Schwarzenegger's family. By the end of 2018, Pratt and his beau became Instagram official after several meetings behind the scenes, including spending time with Farris and her new husband.

2019 started with a bang for the couple, as Pratt popped the question on January 11th and then moved in together. By the fourth month, they made their red carpet debut at the "Avengers: Endgame" premiere.

They married two months later in June at an intimate wedding in Montecito, California, with their close friends and family in attendance.

A few months after welcoming their second child, the actor gushed about how well his wife has been doing as a mom to their new bundle of joy.

As reported by The Blast, the actor lauded her maternal instincts, praising her as the backbone of their little happy family. Pratt's compliments towards his wife nearly landed him in trouble after he commented on Schwarzenegger giving him a healthy child.

During an interview with Men's Health, he clarified that he did not mean to draw a comparison between Schwarzenegger's kids and Jack, who was born prematurely and with cerebral hemorrhaging.

"And then a bunch of articles came out and said, 'That's so cringeworthy. I can't believe Chris Pratt would thank her for a healthy daughter when his first child was born prematurely. That's such a dig at his ex-wife,'" he revealed.

Pratt stressed how those comments would be nerve-wrecking to his son, who might grow up to read them one day.

The TV star and his estranged wife called it quits in 2017 after nearly nine years of marriage in a shocking announcement on social media. The couple finalized their divorce a year later in 2018

The actress came clean on her podcast months after their separation that she was not ready to express vulnerability in the marriage, which caused friction. She also found herself somewhat competing with the actor because they come from the same background as TV stars. According to her:

"Any hint of competitiveness and comparison, I didn't handle that very well, I don't think."

Despite the failed marriage, Faris declared that they still maintain a cordial relationship and would always be there for each other as friends.

The Blast reported that the 35-year-old welcomed her third child with Pratt in 2024, bringing their family to a total of six. But before their son, Ford Fitzgerald Schwarzenegger Pratt, was born, Schwarzenegger spoke about the struggles of balancing motherhood and career.

During a panel luncheon for Women's History Month in 2023, she reflected on the importance of community when a mother juggles multiple life roles.

When asked how she manages to do it all, hosting an online program, authoring, and being a hands-on mom to her kids, the 35-year-old revealed that she leans on her village of family and friends to ease the weight.

She emphasized that being open and honest about the amount of work that goes into parenting and how receiving external help would make the journey easier was the right approach. Schwarzenegger concluded, saying:

"So I think being able to be open about the fact that you don't have to do it all, you can lean on people, you can enlist help from others, and being okay with that. That, I feel, is such a big struggle for women in general, but I think especially if you're balancing multiple roles, is saying, 'I need help today,' and that's okay."

Katherine Schwarzenegger earns cool points for her efforts as a great mother!