Jennie Garth Opens Up: Overcoming Divorce, Miscarriages, and Finding Peace in Sobriety
Jennie Garth chronicles a long personal arc in a new memoir and related projects. The book arrives April 14 from Park Row, an imprint of HarperCollins. She also leads the I Choose Me movement and hosts a podcast tied to that theme.
Memoir and the movement
The memoir is titled I Choose Me: Chasing Joy, Finding Purpose, and Embracing Reinvention. Garth says the book grew from a phrase her 90210 character first used in 1995. The idea reappeared for her after turning 50 and became a guiding principle.
Fame, anxiety and isolation
Garth rose to fame as Kelly Taylor on Beverly Hills, 90210. She did not grow up near Beverly Hills and felt unprepared for sudden stardom. She has described the period as frightening and like on-the-job training.
The constant attention triggered severe anxiety. She withdrew and avoided eye contact to protect her privacy. That isolation fed long-standing imposter syndrome.
Body image and pressures
Early career pressures pushed her toward restrictive eating and surgical procedures. She has written about the toll those choices took on her self-worth. The scrutiny affected many areas of her life.
Marriage, divorce and recovery
Garth was married to actor Peter Facinelli for 17 years. They divorced in 2012 and share three daughters. The end of that marriage sent her into a difficult period emotionally.
At her lowest point she combined alcohol and pills and needed medical intervention. She later entered Canyon Ranch for treatment to stop self-medicating. Recovery led to sobriety and a renewed sense of purpose.
Miscarriages, reconciliation and family life
Garth married actor Dave Abrams and lives in Southern California. The couple separated for nearly a year after struggles with IVF and miscarriages. In 2018, she learned of an apparent divorce filing from media reports, and they reconciled the following year.
The break helped them rebuild communication and trust. She says the pressure to please others played a role in earlier decisions. Today she describes a more balanced approach to relationships and goals.
Co-parenting and forgiveness
Garth and Facinelli now maintain a friendly co-parenting relationship. She says letting go of anger improved her emotional health. Forgiveness allowed her to stop carrying constant grief.
In interviews and on the book’s pages, she speaks openly about overcoming divorce, miscarriages, and finding peace in sobriety. Filmogaz.com featured her cover story detailing this second act and the lessons she now shares publicly.
