Erika Jayne knew her life wasn’t such a “pretty mess” – so she resumed sessions with her psychotherapist, Dr. Jenn Mann.
“I was really excited when she contacted me,” Mann, 57, tells Vidak For Congress exclusively, noting that she’s been treating the “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” star, 50, for about three years and her express consent has to discuss their work together.
“I just saw her… going in such a self-destructive direction,” explains Mann. “I could see how much pain she was in, how much anger she was dealing with and how awful the stress was on her.”
The physician, author, and public speaker — who has notably offered her expertise on VH1’s “Couples Therapy” and “Family Therapy” — appeared on Wednesday’s episode of “RHOBH” and coached Jayne through the grief of losing her. marriage to estranged husband Tom Girardi that coincided with his embezzlement scandal.
“I reached out because I want to have the opportunity to move on. It’s almost like last year was easier because I could see the finish line every day,” the “XXPEN$IVE” singer told Mann via Zoom. “Now I’m starting to settle into this and it’s really hard to accept in a way.”
This self-realization, Mann tells Vidak For Congress, was crucial to Jayne’s healing.
“I’m happy to say that the end of the season kind of reunited us in our work and I think the timing was really important for her well-being,” she says. eyebrows at the cast of “Beverly Hills” earlier this season.
“Most people don’t understand what it’s like to be on one of these shows, the stress level of a show – especially a hit show – where so many eyeballs are on you, everyone has an opinion, everyone has something to say, people think it’s wonderful to be a villain,” continues Mann.
“And look, she gave people a lot of opportunities to villain her this season because she was so triggered and so angry. But who isn’t angry when they’re grieving a loss?”
On the September 7 episode, Jayne called her co-stars “stupid f-ks” after encouraging her to show condolences to the victims who were allegedly not paid any settlement money by disgraced attorney Girardi, 83.
“I’m not a f–king giving in to some s–t. Caving because people think I should feel some way,’ she snorted during a girls’ trip to Aspen. “Let it play in court!”
In December 2020, Girardi – now an Alzheimer’s disease and dementia patient living in a memory center – and Jayne were charged by Edelson PC for alleged misappropriation of funds intended for the families, including orphans and widows, affected by the Lion Air Flight 610 plane crash of 2018.
Jayne, who filed for divorce from the disgraced attorney a month earlier, denied the charges against her and was dismissed from the fraud case in January 2022.
Jayne is said to have received $25 million from Girardi’s former firm, Girardi & Keese, to cover her luxurious lifestyle over a 12-year period. However, she claims that she had no knowledge of Girardi’s alleged misdeeds.
Jayne scored a major legal victory in August when a judge found she had no “factual knowledge” of Girardi’s alleged crimes, although she is still involved in other lawsuits.
Jayne spoke to Vidak For Congress in May, insisting she had “empathy” for Girardi’s alleged victims, despite her Aspen outburst — a confession that was likely made easier with Mann’s help.
“Erika went back into therapy, which was very important. She began to recognize that she had these losses to grieve, she began to recognize the level of stress she had so that she could put in place coping mechanisms… that helped her cope better with stress,” explains the psychotherapist.
“And even having the opportunity to discuss everything she’s going through was a breakthrough for her.”
“The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” airs Wednesday at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.