Kerry Washington makes a bold statement about what sustains her longtime marriage to NFL alum Nnamdi Asomugha

The Scandal star Kerry Washington has been ferociously private about her relationship with her husband of 13 years, Nnamdi Asomugha. They never post on social media. They don’t give any joint interviews [except for recent Entertainment Tonight]. They hardly make any red-carpet appearances together. Check out Getty, and you wouldn’t find many photos of them together [just three pages more or less]. There are hardly any pics on their respective social media accounts as well.The Django Unchained actress keeps her private life thoroughly private. Except for one place. That one place means everything to her. She says her marriage has been strengthened by that one place. And, in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, she revealed it was couples therapy: “I love it. I’m obsessed with couples therapy.”For someone who likes to keep their private matters away from the public’s eagle eye, you assume that everything is 10x charmer, greener, and happier. But that’s not the case with the Imperfect Women actress.There is one place where she likes to keep her private life public. Of course, there is doctor-patient confidentiality. But it’s out there for the therapist. There is some place where she likes her private life to be heard, seen, and addressed. “We just put it all out there and do the work,” Washington told PEOPLE at the Los Angeles premiere of her new psychological thriller series, Imperfect Women.According to Advanced Psychiatry Associates, couples therapy helps improve communication skills, creates a safe space, builds understanding and empathy in your relationship, helps you resolve conflicts, helps you work through life’s challenges, and provides you with a sounding board.Usually, when a couple opts for couples therapy, it rings a bell that something’s amiss in their respective love life. They are either arguing, fighting, or avoiding each other. But since Washington and Asomugha’s marriage is private, there’s no clue as to what led them to therapy. But if it helps them strengthen their love, then it’s the best thing to have happened.Washington and Asomugha got married in 2013, four years after they met. They share a 11-year-old daughter, Isabelle, and a 9-year-old son, Caleb. Washington is also a stepmother to Asomugha’s teenage daughter from a previous relationship. Just Jared reports the 49-year-old Emmy-winning actress was accompanied by her mother, Valerie, at the Women’s Cancer Research Fund’s Unforgettable Evening 2026 Gala.The NFL WAG received the Courage Award at the annual function. Kerry’s mother is a breast cancer survivor. She was diagnosed in 2004. Prompt treatment saved her life and made Kerry become an advocate for cancer awareness.Kerry was surprised by a guest appearance of someone she attended the Boys and Girls Club with, in the Bronx as a young girl. That someone presented her with the award. It was Hollywood and singing legend Jennifer Lopez. “It’s a surprise!” Kerry exclaimed. After sharing memories from their childhood, Lopez also revealed that Kerry taught her to dance, and said, “Kerry, you remind us that together, through sciences, support of survivors, and the relentless pursuit of answers, that real change is possible.”