Olivia Rodrigo said she’s been seeing a therapist since she was 16 years old

Olivia Rodrigo is singing the praises of therapy.

The “Good 4 U” singer, 18, revealed that she’s been seeing a therapist for the past two years as a way of prioritizing her mental health, and that it’s made all the difference.

“I hadn’t really started going until I was 16, and that was a really big, life-changing moment, and I’ve learned so much about myself,” she said on CBS Sunday Morning.

Rodrigo, whose father is a therapist, said she recognized that there was often a stigma associated with seeking help for mental health struggles, but that pushing past that — and the unwarranted opinions from the peanut gallery — was of the utmost importance.

“Sometimes people are like, ‘Oh, you don’t need that, you have so much, your life is so great, what are your problems?'” she said. “I think that’s definitely a thing that sometimes older people can do to younger people, too, is kind of trivialize what they’re going through just because they’re like, ‘Eh, they’re fine, they’re just kids, they’ll get through it.’ But it feels so real when you’re in it, and it’s so valid, and just because it’s not an adult problem or you don’t have to pay taxes yet or whatever doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt.”

The High School Musical: The Musical: The Series actress also made it clear that just because she sings of heartbreak and pain doesn’t mean she can’t also see the bright side of things.

“A lot of people think, listening to my music, that I’m a really sad, depressed person and that couldn’t be farther from the truth,” she said. “Definitely not at all crying on my bedroom floor all the time. But it’s fun to write about stuff like that — like if I was just writing about how I was happy, going to get my iced latte every morning, nobody would listen to it, it wouldn’t be interesting.”

Rodrigo has previously been open about the ways in which she values her mental health, telling Vogue Singapore last month that she was taking her rise to fame “one step at a time.”

“It can be really tough on your mental health,” she said. “I’m grateful for the people who like me for me, and keep me separated from all the noise and tabloids or what people are saying about me on social media. That’s always been a top priority.”

She previously told PEOPLE that taking enough time off from her busy schedule has been helpful, as has spending time both alone and with those closest to her.

“I love spending time by myself. That’s the best thing ever,” she told PEOPLE in June. “But I really love hanging out with my friends. I feel like that’s really rejuvenating for m