After seven years of marriage, The Real Housewives of New Jersey star Dina Manzo and husband Tommy called it quits last year. Now, she shares with Life & Style why she made the painful decision to let the cameras keep rolling.

“It was brutal, gut-wrenching,” Dina tells the new issue of Life & Style about shooting upcoming episodes that detail her divorce from the alleged cheater. “But I told myself that what I’m going through, some of the viewers are going through — if I can help them, that is my goal.”

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Despite her dark moments [during] the divorce in the upcoming season, Dina explains we’ll still be able to watch a balance of light and uplifting moments. “With drama comes darkness, but we have a really nice mix and balance of light moments and being able to push the hard moments aside and being able to have fun with each other.”

For more from Life & Style’s exclusive interview with Dina, pick up the new issue — on newsstands now.