Maxene Magalona opened up about why she chose to distance herself from her mother, Pia Magalona, for a period of time.
In an interview with Karen Davila in her latest YouTube vlog, Maxene shared that she and her mom are now in a much better place now but there was a time when she needed to step back for her own well-being.
"[Our relationship is] good. It's better now... Everyone knows this naman din, I mean most people know that I had to take a healthy distance from her for almost four years, I think. I did not speak to her for a while following the advice of my psychiatrist," she revealed.
She explained that her psychiatrist encouraged the temporary distance as part of her healing process. "My psychiatrist was the one who said that it's not your mom's fault. If I want to heal, I have to take a healthy distance from the people that I am not okay with yet," she said.
Maxene clarified that her mother always had good intentions, but she needed space to grow. "She had all the best intentions but her approach, it was not what I needed in order for me to grow. She thought what she was doing was out of love. She would also tell me this that in her own healing journey, she realized na in some ways, I have to let you go. 'Yun ang sinabi niya and she told me this. So I am saying that my relationship with my mom is better because I can tell that she is in a much better space," she stated.
She went on to say that some parents tend to cling to their children because it gives them a sense of purpose, but that her mother has been learning to shift her approach.
"Some parents they turn to their children so that they have this sense of purpose and that they have this sense that someone needs them, and an anchor, but when children grow up they feel that nawawala na 'yun so they try to hold on. And they try to still maintain that kind of relationship when they are needed by us. And that's the hardest eh for a parent, but 'yun nga she is slowly learning... because I can feel her effort," she shared.
The actress also said that even during their time apart, she and Pia continued to pray for each other.
"We need our parents there but not in the same way. That's what I told my mom that when we were not together, I was actually praying for her and she said she was doing the same for me.So you know sometimes families, it's okay to take a healthy break from one another but don't lose the love. Pray for them and genuinely want the best for them," Maxene pointed out.
She added that she learned the importance of shifting worry into prayer. "Kasi ang isa pa naming natutunan ng mom ko is when you worry pala about someone it's like you are sending negative energy to them. So do not worry, turn your worry into prayer and understand that when you think the best of your family and of people around you, you are actually sending them positive energy. So always visualize the best, always the best, and never worry," she stated.