Monica Lewinsky, the 52-year-old activist, opened up about her experience with public shame and the long path to self-acceptance during a recent episode of her podcast, "Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky."

Speaking with actress Jamie Lynn Sigler, Lewinsky discussed her memoir, And So It Is...: A Memoir of Acceptance and Hope, noting that the title deeply resonated with her. She emphasized the importance of acceptance in healing, stating, "You really can't move through all the steps until you've had acceptance."

Lewinsky reflected on her "dark decade," explaining that much of her progress came from integrating her past self — the White House intern — without shame. She described the journey as involving "so much work" to reconcile the two versions of herself, acknowledging the difficulty of navigating life with such a history.

She also shared that she has engaged in extensive energy work for 20 years, referencing the concept popularized by The Secret about energy and negative thoughts impacting one's life. Lewinsky called her healing process "pretty miraculous" and reflected on how people endure "awful things" and what those experiences can ultimately provide.

Throughout the conversation, Lewinsky highlighted the ongoing challenge of self-acceptance and the need for connection and understanding when people are in vulnerable states.

Sources