Kelly Clarkson Opens Up To Demi Lovato About Struggle With Depression Amid Divorce Drama

Kelly Clarkson may not intend on speaking publicly about her divorce yet — but being a daytime talk show host with her heart perpetually on her sleeve, she’s going to express her emotions one way or the other.

On Wednesday’s episode of The Kelly Clarkson Show, the 38-year-old spoke to Demi Lovato and couldn’t help but gush over her fellow pop star’s open-book approach to mental health.

Video: What’s Up With Kelly’s Feud With Perez?

She told the Cool For The Summer singer:

“I love how open you are about mental health because I have similar issues, and I suffer from depression.”

Obviously we don’t know if depression had anything to do with Kelly’s divorce from husband Brandon Blackstock after over six years of marriage, but it’s certainly the type of heartbreaking, life-altering event which can be a trigger for someone who already is dealing with these issues. She continued:

“I think a lot of people, especially in the creative world or just from childhood even, [are] kind of trained to just keep going and ‘you can handle it,’ especially as a woman it’s like, ‘Don’t let them see you sweat.'”

The Since U Been Gone singer pointed out how “not everybody is as vulnerable” as Demi is, especially people in her position — and that’s a shame because being open about mental health can be really positive for fans who have their own struggles.

Demi responded in kind, saying she felt the American Idol star being so “courageous” and “genuine” from the start of her career had been a big inspiration:

“You were, like, the first idol that I ever had, and I wouldn’t be the artist or even the person that I am with being so outspoken, and vulnerable, and fearless if I hadn’t had you to look up to.”

Awww!

Kelly went on to point out how a mental health struggle — much like a marriage — “takes work” every day:

“Like, even when you overcome something, they’re like, ‘OK, she’s already overcome it.’ I’m like, no, no that’s a daily effort in, like, trying to be positive… That’s not, like, a given. Like, you’re just over it, and you went to some magical therapy session, and it’s over. I think that’s a daily thing that you work at and a daily thing that I work at.”

We hope Kelly is doing OK amid the global AND highly personal catastrophes. It certainly seems like she’s getting through it with her trademark smile intact. It’s like she sings, What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right? Ch-ch-check out the sweet convo (below):