Justin Bieber ‘Uncovering Root Issues’ in Counseling for Depression

It was reported this week that Justin Bieber is receiving counseling for depression, with a source telling PEOPLE that the singer is focusing on his mental health.

“He’s feeling very positive that he’s uncovering some root issues, and everyone is optimistic that this will help him figure out his next chapter,” the source said. “He’s going to be a dad someday, and he knows that could happen sooner rather than later.”

The insider added that Bieber’s “emotions are raw, but he knows that his counseling — however painful — is what he needs as he moves forward with his life.”

Bieber’s counseling sessions reportedly include spiritual and secular components from pastors and licensed professionals.

Another source also told PEOPLE that Bieber’s depression has “nothing to do” with his wife, Hailey Baldwin.

“It has nothing to do with Hailey — he is very happy being married to her. It’s just something else that he struggles with mentally,” the source said. “He has good help around him and is receiving some treatment. He seems confident he will feel better soon.”

“Justin seems down and tired,” they added. “He has been struggling a bit.”

During a recent joint Vogue interview with Baldwin, Bieber discussed his previous experience with depression, which led him to cancel the final dates of his Purpose World Tour in 2017.

“I got really depressed on tour,” he revealed. “I haven’t talked about this, and I’m still processing so much stuff that I haven’t talked about. I was lonely. I needed some time.”

Bieber also discussed his use of Xanax as well as “a legitimate problem with sex.”

“I found myself doing things that I was so ashamed of, being super-promiscuous and stuff, and I think I used Xanax because I was so ashamed,” he said. “Drugs put a screen between me and what I was doing. It got pretty dark. I think there were times when my security was coming in late at night to check my pulse and see if I was still breathing.”

Just before the interview, the pop star had returned from an attempt at the Hoffman Process, a week-long intensive group-therapy retreat that Bieber did not complete because he felt he “wasn’t ready.”

“There were these séances,” he recalled of the experience. “Or not really séances but these traditions. They light candles, and it kind of freaked me out. You sit on a mat, you put a pillow down, and you beat your past out of it. I beat the fact that my mom was depressed a lot of my life and my dad has anger issues. Stuff that they passed on that I’m kind of mad they gave me.”

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