Jacqueline Laurita shared an update on her daughter Ashlee Malleo after the 32-year-old revealed her bipolar II diagnosis.
Both the mother and daughter were popular figures on the Real Housewives of New Jersey, before Jacqueline exited the franchise in 2017.
In an interview for the “Two T’s In A Pod” podcast, Jacqueline revealed that her 32-year-old daughter has opened up about her mental health.
“She’s good. She found out, you know, she got diagnosed with bipolar, and so she’s been dealing a lot with that, which explains like a lot of things she was feeling and going through,” said Jacqueline, via Heavy. “Now, she’s very open about it. She talks about it on her social media, like her kind of steps and, you know, helping herself. She’s doing good.”
The alum said Ashlee is “a great mommy to her [six-year-old] son, Cameron” – whom she shares with her ex-husband Pete Malleo.
Last year, Ashlee first addressed her mental health on Instagram, saying she “was diagnosed with bipolar II and BPD [Borderline Personality Disorder],” and she “made the personal choice to begin medication right away.”
In a New Year’s 2023 post, Ashlee reflected on 2022, sharing that it was “full of heartache and stress for [her],” though there were “plenty of amazing moments too,” and she was “grateful” for the therapy and support system.
Ashlee said she’s “proud” of her fans who are also “struggl[ing] with mental health.”
“We did it. We made it through another year full of ups and downs. Don’t let anyone disrespect your healing journey. The right person/people will embrace you with grace, empathy, and healthy communication no matter what. That goes for relationships, friendships, family etc… Just know that you are not broken. You are enough,” she expressed.
The Real Housewives of New Jersey season 13 airs Tuesdays at 9/8c on Bravo.