Actor and director Kevin Smith, known for his work on Clerks, is freshly out of a 30-day mental health facility. Now, in a powerful 34-minute video, he courageously shares his experiences and what he has learned about his own trauma, the steps he is taking to heal, and valuable tips for anyone grappling with similar challenges. There's some heavy stuff here (including sexual abuse and fat shaming), so I'm including a proceed-at-your-own-risk trigger warning.
One morning in January 2023, 'Clerks' director Kevin Smith awoke in terror, convinced he was losing his mind. The next day, he checked into Arizona's Sierra Tucson Treatment Center, where he spent a month in intensive therapy and learned how childhood sexual abuse and bodyshaming over his weight by his 4th grade teacher led him to create and hide behind a larger-than-life public persona he calls "the other guy."
Now Kevin has stopped smoking weed, cut back on social media, is slowing down his work schedule after churning out movies, comic books, TV shows and podcasts, and learning about the healing power of self-acceptance. Most importantly, he is determined to get the word out to others who could benefit from hearing his story and the tools he's acquired to help find peace.
