They Said I’d Make Them Crazy”: Tina Knowles Reveals Why She Put Beyoncé and Solange in Therapy — And How It Saved Their Bond

Tina Knowles, the matriarch of one of music’s most iconic families, is opening up about a decision that defied cultural norms—and ultimately helped preserve the deep sisterhood between Beyoncé and Solange.

In a candid sit-down with Oprah Winfrey on Friday, Knowles reflected on a pivotal moment in her daughters’ childhood when she turned to therapy—at a time when it was nearly unheard of in the Black community.

“I think this is so interesting,” Winfrey said during the conversation. “You put your daughters in therapy at a very young age, at a time when it was considered taboo, especially in the Black community.”

According to Knowles, the decision wasn’t celebrated by everyone. One of her own siblings told her she’d make her daughters “crazy” for even considering professional help. But Tina had a gut feeling—and it was one she couldn’t ignore.

“I got so scared because they were, like, super close,” she said. “Then all of a sudden, Solange was going, taking Beyoncé’s stuff, and Beyoncé was kind of being a little mean to her. And I had never seen it before. It scared me to death.”

She recounted the tension that started to bubble up when Beyoncé began performing more frequently and local fame started to shift the family dynamic. The young star’s emerging celebrity status sparked behavior changes—ones that left her younger sister Solange feeling isolated and overshadowed.

To make matters worse, members of Beyoncé’s early girl group Girls Tyme reportedly treated Solange with condescension when visiting their home, further driving a wedge between the sisters.

“That defender in me said, ‘Uh-uh, you got to protect your sister,’” Tina said.

The situation could have spiraled into long-term resentment. But instead, Knowles leaned into what many in her community avoided at the time—therapy.

“It was the best thing I could have ever done for them,” she said. “They got close again. Beyoncé started respecting Solange.”

That early intervention, she believes, laid the groundwork for the unshakable sisterhood fans see today—two powerhouse women who are fiercely independent, yet deeply connected.

Now, as the author of her book “Matriarch,” Knowles is once again leading by example—challenging stigmas around mental health, especially in Black families, and showing that seeking help isn’t a sign of weakness but a form of protection, healing, and love.