Julianne Hough, 36, has opened up about how her ex-husband Brooks Laich helped her heal from childhood trauma during their five-year marriage.

The Dancing With The Stars pro, who revealed she was sexually abused at the age of four, credits Laich with providing a sense of stability and security, allowing her to reconnect with her younger self.

On a recent episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show, Hough explained that Laich’s presence in her life allowed her to start the healing process, providing a foundation for her to reconnect with her inner child.

“What did I need at 10? I really needed safety and almost, like, a father figure to come in and be that grounding force of stability,” she said.

Her relationship with Laich had given her a ‘little girl feeling’ as well as ‘stability and [a] stable man to be there’; seen in 2019 in L.A.

Hough also reflected on the “unraveling” of her marriage to Laich, citing his rough last few years in his hockey career and their differing maturity levels as contributing factors to their split.

The former couple announced their separation in 2020 and finalized their divorce in 2022.

In a recent interview on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepherd, Hough further reflected on the end of her marriage, acknowledging that she and Laich had regrets about its demise.

During an interview on the Armchair Expert podcast with Dax Shepherd earlier this month, Julianna further reflected on the ‘unraveling’ of her marriage to Brooks

Hough has been open about her experiences with childhood trauma, revealing in an earlier episode of the Jamie Kern Lima Show that she was sexually abused by a neighbor at the age of four.

She has since used her platform to promote healing and self-awareness, releasing her debut novel, Everything We Never Knew, which explores themes of trauma, relationships, and personal growth.

The new revelation came as Hough promotes her newly released novel, Everything We Never Knew

The novel follows the story of Lexi Cole, a woman who appears to have the perfect life but is hiding secrets and struggling with her own personal demons.

Hough has said that the book is about trusting oneself and going within, and that it reflects her own experiences of healing and self-discovery.

When asked about the dedication to the “young Julianne who did what she needed to do in order to survive and protect herself to get to the place where she is today,” Hough replied, “This book is also about trusting yourself.”