:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/Billy-Ray-Cyrus-and-Noah-Cyrus-Tish-Cyrus-Brandi-Cyrus-and-recording-artist-Miley-Cyrus-attend-the-2017-Billboard-Music-Awards-032125-8c9bfd3ff915415095aaad8ec6c4ce7d.jpg)
Miley Cyrus is getting candid about her family's tumultuous past, revealing that they went through a "dark decade" of drama and conflict. In a recent interview on the podcast "Reclaiming with Monica Lewinsky," the singer shared that they didn't even attend counseling sessions to resolve their issues.
'Half of Us Weren't Speaking to Each Other'
Cyrus, 32, told Lewinsky that "half of us weren't speaking to each other at one point, and we cleaned all that up." She attributed the reconciliation to her family members putting their lines of communication back together, saying, "A lot because of, you know, I had a lot of loyalty to my mom [Tish Cyrus], the way that families do when parents get divorced."

Cyrus explained that conflict had been piling up for years, making it difficult to resolve. She said, "watched what happens when you don't clean things up as they're happening. They really do stack, and then all of a sudden you go, 'Oh my God, it's been 10 years, and this is a mess that I barely even know how to start. This is like emotional hoarding.'"
Instead of seeking counseling, Cyrus took a unique approach to resolving the emotional "mess." She started by focusing on joy, saying, "I just kind of bust through the pile that's stacked, and just go, 'I'm here. You're here. Let's start by having a good time together.' And then as we start bringing some happiness and joy into each other's life, then we'll just be in a better place to have these conversations. 'Cause I'd rather get it balanced first."
Finding Inspiration in Family Conflict
Cyrus also revealed that her family's conflict and tension between her and her dad, Billy Ray Cyrus, inspired a track she is currently working on for an upcoming album. The song, titled "Secrets," is about her dad and her desire for him to feel safe enough to share secrets with her.
Cyrus said, "I wrote this song about my dad because I wanted him to tell me even though there were secrets, even though I didn't really want to know. I wanted to be the one he felt safe enough to tell me the things that were damning and damaging to the family."

Cyrus's appearance on the podcast comes shortly after she shared a rare public statement about family "rumors," including addressing claims about her mom, Tish, and her relationship with her dad.
Read more: Whitney Leavitt Claims She Wasn't Invited to Mormon Wives' Las Vegas Event, but Mayci Neeley Is Clapping Back, BigXthaPlug Reflects on Collaborating with Jelly Roll: 'The Country Version of Him, and Lucille Ball Had Her Firstborn's Name Picked Out, but Desi Arnaz Went Behind Her Back.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.