Strickland met Jason Behr, her co-star in The Grudge, on the set of the film in 2004. According to her, they had a shared affinity for Japan and Japanese culture and became best friends almost instantly because of their mutual willingness to explore it. The two began a relationship soon after filming ended. When asked about her love life in February 2005, Strickland said it was “quiet”. On November 10, 2006, she married Behr in Ojai, California, in a ceremony that included elements of Japanese culture. Strickland said her experience planning the wedding aided her preparation for her role in The Wedding Bells. Her work on the wedding provided the inspiration for the wedding garden of Casa de Estrellas (House of Stars), a Santa Fe, New Mexico, luxury inn and spa. Behr proposed to her on her birthday. On October 17, 2013, the couple welcomed their first child, a son named Atticus Mason Behr.
Strickland is an advocate of the arts. In 2004, before the release of Anacondas, she hosted the art debut of fellow actress Heidi Jayne Netzley at the Edgemar Center for the Arts in Santa Monica, California. Strickland was among the actors who picketed alongside writers during the 2007–2008 Writers Guild of America strike.
Strickland also works closely with the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization, RAINN. When Private Practice creator Shonda Rhimes wrote a storyline in which Strickland’s character was brutally assaulted and raped, Strickland turned to RAINN in order to make sure that her portrayal of Charlotte’s recovery was as true to life as possible. Through her work with RAINN for this storyline, Strickland felt a personal connection with the group and decided to become an advocate for the organization. Since then she has spoken out for the passage of the SAFER act to eliminate the backlog of untested DNA evidence and has become a vocal advocate for using DNA evidence to solve rape cases. She also worked with Gorjana to create an exclusive piece of jewelry for RAINN, in which 80% of the sale price goes directly to the organization.
