Kelly Clarkson Says Going to Therapy ‘Regularly’ Helped Her Through Divorce

In the aftermath of her 2020 divorce from Brandon Blackstock, Kelly Clarkson is grateful for the help she received in therapy — and she hopes fans know there's no shame in seeking help if they're going through similar struggles.

In an interview with ET Canada, the singer says she's been going to therapy for years, since before she and Blackstock initiated divorce proceedings.

"I've been regularly doing it. I do love it. I actually started when I was married, you know, obviously having difficulties," Clarkson explains. "Not just about the relationships, just in general, I'd never really done regular therapy or anything like that."

Clarkson goes on to say that the experience has been "a good turning point for me," adding that her therapy sessions offered her brand new insight into her life.

"They give you so many tools for how to navigate certain situations and also to have somebody outside of your circle that doesn't know anything but just knows what's happening in the now," the singer continues. "And that was really helpful."

Aside from conventional therapy sessions, Clarkson says that songwriting has also been a therapeutic outlet for her for years. That's especially true on her upcoming album Chemistry, which she wrote while processing the wide range of emotions she faced after divorce.

"Usually, honestly, writing is therapeutic for me, and I have a really great group of friends, so I feel like I have a good, you know, listening party and like to bounce things off of thoughts and feelings or whatever," she goes on to say, adding that she tends to feel especially creative when she's going through a difficult time.

"That's why I always say, like, people's best work of art — whether you're a sculptor, painter, writer, whatever you are — it's usually after a hard time, because that's when they're feeling everything so intensely, the artist," Clarkson reasons.

With a little bit of time and healing in the rear view since her split, Clarkson says she's grateful to have experienced the highs and lows of love — a concept that she reflects on in the title track of Chemistry.

"What a blessing to be able to experience that in general, even if it goes sour. Like, just to have it for the sweet time that you did. Not everybody gets that, right?" she says. "... And so it's just about looking at a relationship as, like, 'It's not all bad, you know'? I wanted to point out that there are good things, too. And don't forget those things."

Chemistry is set to arrive on Friday (June 23).

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