Tina Knowles is getting candid about a bold parenting move that helped shape her daughters, Beyoncé and Solange, into the close-knit sisters the world admires today.
In a conversation with Oprah, Knowles revealed she put her daughters in therapy at a young age—long before mental health awareness was common, especially in the Black community.
Oprah, reflecting on the stigma around therapy in the 1980s, praised Knowles for trusting her instincts.
“Everybody was like, I would never go to a therapist, and going to a therapist makes you crazy,” Oprah recalled.
But Knowles saw early signs that concerned her.
“I got so scared because they were super close. Then all of a sudden, Solange was taking Beyoncé’s stuff and Beyoncé was being a little mean to her,” Knowles said.
The shift in their relationship alarmed her, particularly as Beyoncé’s early success as a local performer began to draw public attention — sometimes at Solange’s expense.
Knowles recounted how, at family gatherings, people would gush over Beyoncé’s talent while overlooking Solange.
“You know how they do,” she said. “And then my other child is there and I’m like, ‘Hey, you better tell her something too.'”
What truly pushed Knowles to act was the atmosphere at home. She noticed Beyoncé’s friends telling Solange to “shut up,” with Beyoncé staying silent instead of defending her younger sister.
“That mama bear, that defender in me said, uh-uh, I gotta fix this,” Knowles shared.
Therapy turned out to be a game changer. It helped Beyoncé develop more empathy and respect for Solange, strengthening the bond that would carry them through their lives and careers.
“It’s the best thing I could have ever done for them,” Knowles said.
Today, the world sees the result: two powerhouse women who support each other fiercely, each blazing her own unique trail.
