Bethenny Frankel revealed that she suffers from PTSD following her divorce from ex Jason Hoppy and labeled the experience as ‘traumatizing.’
The RHONY alum, 53 – who recently showed off her toned figure in a stylish bikini – opened up about the divorce on Thursday’s episode of her Just B podcast.
The TV personality and Hoppy tied the knot in 2010, but split just two years later. After reaching a financial settlement in 2016, the divorce was finalized in 2021 – eight years after Bethenny initially filed.
‘I’ve been burned. I have massive trust issues, and I have post-traumatic stress disorder,’ she expressed, per Page Six. ‘It was literally the most traumatizing thing I will hopefully ever go through in my life.’
The star added that the lengthy divorce had been ‘more tortuous’ than grief, while also labeling it as ‘mental and emotional torture.’
Bethenny Frankel, 53, revealed that she suffers from PTSD following her divorce from ex Jason Hoppy and labeled the experience as ‘traumatizing’; seen in January in NYC
‘I’ve been burned. I have massive trust issues, and I have post-traumatic stress disorder,’ she expressed, per Page Six . ‘It was literally the most traumatizing thing I will hopefully ever go through in my life’; former couple seen in 2010 in L.A.
‘I thought I would never survive it. I did not see a way out. It was suffocating. I thought I was gonna be miserable for the rest of my life.’
Frankel also stated, ‘I have had every single f***ing thing except for physical abuse done to me, and I am an expert on this topic.’
Some of the incidents that she allegedly experienced included ‘fraud,’ ‘multiple trials on custody,’ and also ‘being followed.’
‘I have been through a f***ing war – a war. I have questioned myself as a human, as a parent, because I was told so many times otherwise how terrible I was and disgusting and old and irrelevant and so abused, because I had no power to get out of it.’
While Bethenny explained to her listeners that for years, it had been ‘impossible to talk about’ the divorce, but she now felt ‘ready’ to do so.
‘How a person who is so smart and so successful could make such poor judgement calls and decisions or just not know or just have a bad hand, but it’s been a journey, so I’m ready to discuss it.’
During the course of their relationship, Frankel and Hoppy welcomed daughter Bryn, 13 – who ‘knows all about’ the divorce.
Since the bitter split, the Skinny Girl founder has since moved on with Paul Bernon, whom she began dating in 2018. In March 2021, the couple announced their engagement.
The TV personality and Hoppy tied the knot in 2010, but split just two years later. After reaching a financial settlement in 2016, the divorce was finalized in 2021 – eight years after Bethenny initially filed; seen in 2010 on Bethenny Ever After
‘I thought I would never survive it. I did not see a way out. It was suffocating. I thought I was gonna be miserable for the rest of my life’; seen on Bethenny Getting Married? in 2010
However, Bethenny admitted that the divorce from Hoppy has still affected her relationship with Bernon. ‘It’s why I have not gotten married again, or I’m not sure if I would ever get married again.’
The reality star has briefly discussed the separation from Jason in the past, and previously called the divorce a ‘nightmare’ on her Just B podcast back in December 2021 – the same month the divorce was officially finalized.
‘I have spent millions of dollars, millions of tears. I have had a horrific, hall of fame, nightmare divorce,’ she admitted at the time.
The mother-of-one also stated, ‘I ended up marrying someone who was just a regular person, who seemed like they could handle all of what’s going on with me, and being in reality television.’
‘And I was sort of proud of myself for just marrying someone who had a simple life, and they didn’t come from much, and so they would never want anything from me.’
Frankel continued, ‘Because this is just not the way that it goes, people who don’t come from a lot just are happy with that sort of small-town life, and that would never really be a whole issue.’
During the past episode, she also talked about issues with a prenup and then later added, ‘What I have overcome and accomplished in divorce is so much more than I have accomplished in philanthropy and in business.’
‘Divorce has been my greatest struggle and ultimately my greatest matter to survive. And it was torture.’
During the course of their relationship, Frankel and Hoppy welcomed daughter Bryn, 13 – who ‘knows all about’ the divorce
However, Bethenny admitted that the divorce from Hoppy has still affected her relationship with Bernon. ‘It’s why I have not gotten married again, or I’m not sure if I would ever get married again’; seen with Bernon above
‘I’ve been through an ordeal. I’ve been through hell. I’ve been to hell and back. I cannot express to you how bad my experience has been,’ Bethenny expressed.
The former couple went through a long custody battle over daughter Bryn, with Bethenny eventually acquiring full legal custody and primary residential custody. In 2021, Frankel also no longer needed to pay her ex child support.
While talking to People Now, per Today, in 2016 – the same year the pair reached a financial agreement – she opened up about the divorce proceeding and said, ‘I feel like justice is being served.’
‘It’s being handled the way that it should be. It’s gone on way too long. I never wanted it to go more than a few months.’
Bethenny added, ‘I feel like I survived something. When it all shakes down, I’ll be a woman who has not, kinda, just felt backed into a corner.’
‘I’ve been through an ordeal. I’ve been through hell. I’ve been to hell and back. I cannot express to you how bad my experience has been,’ Bethenny expressed; Frankel and Hoppy seen in 2012 in L.A.
And while being currently engaged to Bernon since 2021, Frankel talked to E! News last year about whether she will walk down the aisle again or not; seen with Paul and Bryn above
‘I stayed strong, and I did what was best for myself, [for] my daughter [and] for women.’
And while being currently engaged to Bernon, Frankel talked to E! News last year about whether she will walk down the aisle again or not.
‘I don’t want to build a wedding. I love my life, I love my fiancé. He’s an amazing life partner and I don’t want to sign a contract with someone I love…’
‘And I don’t want to plan a massive wedding for everybody else and not what we want. I like doing what you want, not what society wants you to do.’
