Kelly Clarkson: I started therapy in the midst of “difficulties” with Brandon Blackstock

Kelly Clarkson maybe healed by singing about her divorce from ex-husband Brandon Blackstock — but that didn’t “save” her money on therapy bills.

“I did it regularly [therapy]. I love it. I actually started when I was married, you know, obviously I was having difficulties,” the “Since You’ve Been Gone” singer, 41, told me. ET Canada in an interview published on Monday, June 19. “I had never really done regular therapy or anything like that.”

While music is typically “therapeutic” for Clarkson – who also has a “really great group of friends” to lean on and shrug things off” during tough times – seeing a therapist was a “really good turning point” following her 2020 split from the 46-year-old talent manager.

“They give you so many tools to navigate certain situations,” she told the outlet. “Also to have someone outside your circle who doesn’t know anything, but just knows what’s happening in the now. And that was very helpful.”

The Kelly Clarkson Show host married Blackstock in 2013 and the pair share daughter River Rose, 8, and son Remington, 7. Us weekly confirmed in June 2020 that Clarkson had filed for divorce after seven years of marriage. After their divorce, the couple engaged in a messy legal battle over marital property, including Clarkson’s Montana residence — where Blackstock lived — and custody of their two children.

The exes finalized their divorce in March 2022 when the first american idol winner agreed to pay the Texas resident a one-time payment of $1.3 million and $115.00 per month in spousal support until January 2024. She also agreed to pay him $45,601 a month in child support until their children are no longer minors. Clarkson, for her part, was given primary custody of their children, and Blackstock received monthly visits.

During her legal drama, Clarkson turned to music. She released her 10th studio album, Chemistry, earlier this month, which detailed her romance with Blackstock and their messy breakup. The artist “Because of you” told ET on Mondays that she tends to write her best songs when she’s “going through something,” but didn’t want her latest record to focus on just one emotion.

“The anger is there. But you know, there’s anger, there’s sadness, there’s happiness, there’s hope, like it’s all on there. So that was really important to me too, to make sure that was all in there,” she shared, noting that the abum title stems from how “incredible” chemistry with someone can be — even if it’s harmful to a relationship. .

“It’s still incredible to connect with someone on a level that resembles scientific, like you have no control over them. It’s just chemical, right? … And so it’s about viewing a relationship as not all bad,” she said. “I think we tend to say, ‘Okay, it didn’t work out, so it’s all like this.’ But it’s not all just bad, you know? So, you know, I just wanted to point out that there are good things too. And don’t forget those things.”