Olivia Rodrigo’s touring guitarist, Daisy Spencer, has revealed that the music superstar has paid for her band and crew to get free therapy.
“Honestly, that was one of the coolest things that has ever happened on tour, like seriously, that is one of the best things you can give to people,” said Spencer on a recent episode of “The StageLeft Podcast.”
Spencer explained that she had “fallen off for quite a while” with therapy and was struggling to find a therapist that was the right fit before Rodrigo and Marty Hom, the manager of her Guts World Tour, made the service free and accessible to tour personnel.
“So I have never had anything like that and that reignited the importance of therapy to me,” said Spencer of the perk, which could be used both on the road and off the tour.
She later continued, “Suddenly, I had this free resource of incredible therapists, and I utilized the crap out of that.”
Rodrigo — whose father, Chris Rodrigo, is a family therapist — has emphasized the importance of therapy over the years.
She told CBS News Sunday Morning in 2021 that she started going to therapy at age 16, calling the move a “really big, life-changing moment” where she “learned so much about” herself as a result.
The singer-songwriter acknowledged there’s a stigma around mental health, noting that some people may dismiss her seeking therapy with claims that her “life is so great” and questioning what “problems” she has.
“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, ‘Aha, they’re fine, they’re just kids, they’ll get through it,’” Rodrigo said.
“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 that it doesn’t hurt.”
Spencer — who describes herself as a “huge advocate” of therapy — said the service can “get kind of expensive” and noted that she’s started using the service once a week or every other week.
She said therapy has helped her with “unprocessed trauma” as she’s been touring since age 17 and it’s been “such a gift” to look within herself.
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If you or someone you know needs help, call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org for mental health support. Additionally, you can find local mental health and crisis resources at dontcallthepolice.com. Outside of the U.S., please visit the International Association for Suicide Prevention.
