Reese Witherspoon Follows Co-star Jennifer Aniston's Path, Leans On Hypnotist To Change Her Whole Life

Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston have more in common than their on-screen chemistry on "The Morning Show." They both have embraced hypnotism.

While Aniston seemingly found both love and healing with hypnotist Jim Curtis, Witherspoon leaned on the practice to manage panic attacks. Aniston and Curtis first sparked romance rumors in July, with sources later confirming their connection. 

As for Witherspoon, she has opened up about how the therapy has changed her, offering a rare glimpse into a deeply personal side of her life.

On the September 17 episode of “Las Culturistas Podcast,” the “Cruel Intentions” star opened up to hosts Bowen Yang and Matt Rogers about her long-standing struggles with anxiety and the unexpected tool that finally brought her relief.

When Rogers asked Witherspoon how she views her anxiety, she confessed that she’s a “high-anxiety person,” explaining that much of it stems from the pressure to perform and meet expectations. "I used to have panic attacks, bad panic attacks, like crying," the Hello Sunshine cofounder revealed.

In trying to cope, Witherspoon said she experimented with "meditation," but it was difficult for her to "listen" for long periods because she also battles with "ADD."

When she turned to medication, using “Ativan to calm down,” it wasn't the right fit for her.  According to Witherspoon, the drug made her feel like a "zombie," leaving her unable to function the way she wanted. 

The “Morning Show” star shared that a turning point came when she began seeing a hypnotist specializing in neurolinguistic programming. That work helped her understand that she "was going to get the same result, but I could get rid of all the anxiety in the middle."

Witherspoon reflected on the new approach, "That actually changed my whole life. And I want people to know anxiety is real."

As the discussion continued, the “Legally Blonde” star expressed compassion for others facing similar struggles. "I see girls going through it or guys going through it and they post videos, and I wanna hug them," she said.

She continued, "It makes me wanna cry because it's very real, and you're not alone, and you can calm yourself  down. There are tools to calm yourself down."

Witherspoon offered practical advice, explaining that the cornerstone of her approach is recognizing that stress doesn't improve performance.

She described a visualization exercise where she imagines herself after completing a task, feeling proud and excited, and tells herself ahead of time that she will get there.

Much like Witherspoon, Aniston is also into hypnosis, and it even played a role in her personal life.

Earlier this year, she became romantically linked with Jim Curtis, a well-known hypnotist, with sources confirming that the two connected deeply through their shared practice.

As The Blast reported, an informant revealed the similarities between the couple, saying, "They both share a deep love of doing inner work, and Jen thinks that Jim is quite remarkable in that respect."

The insider continued, "Jen has read just about every self-help book worth reading, and Jim coming into her life has felt like fate.  It's been a meeting of minds. Jen feels very connected to Jim as they have the same level of emotional intelligence."

As the “Friends” alum's romance with the wellness coach blossoms, he is reportedly using his expertise to guide her through unresolved "past trauma."

According to The Blast, Aniston's role as Jennette McCurdy's mother in Apple TV+'s adaptation of the memoir “I'm Glad My Mom Died” has resurfaced painful memories tied to her own late mother, Nancy Dow.

Fortunately, Curtis has been a steady source of support.

“Jim is helping her unpick the trauma from her mother's critical words and the years of tension that followed,” an insider said, noting that the actress feels she is in safe hands.

Meanwhile, Witherspoon recently kept fans in the loop about what is coming in the third season of the HBO series, "Big Little Lies."

The actress revealed that the original author is already at work on new material and will be turning something in soon. She confirmed that the upcoming release will return to the beloved core characters, the Monterey Five: Madeline, Celeste, Jane, Renata, and Bonnie.

Teasing what's ahead, Witherspoon hinted that the story will pick up after time has passed, promising "exciting" new possibilities for the next chapter.