Bethenny Frankel felt ‘hopeless’ during divorce

Bethenny Frankel was left feeling "hopeless" after her divorce from Jason Hoppy.

The 46-year-old television personality and the businessman, also 46, finally ended their six-year marriage earlier this year after two years of legal battles – which included a custody war over their six-year-old daughter Bryn – and Bethenny has now claimed she was "depressed" by her ordeal.

Speaking to New York Post’s Page Six column, the ‘Real Housewives of New York’ star said: "I was experiencing emotional distress and felt hopeless and a little bit, dare I say, depressed.

"I think that was surprising to women because I’m successful, I have a powerful personality and I was going through my own personal crisis."

Bethenny announced earlier this week she was teaming up with Dress for Success to launch the B Strong: Find Your Yes initiative to help other women who are in "crisis".

She said: "You have to find your own financial independence; you have to be able to stand on your own two feet.

"B Strong is going to be giving legal advice, life coaching and kind of surround someone with the resources they need to help them get out of a crisis."

Previously, Bethenny described her charity as a center for women in "dire straits".

She said: "It’s for women in abusive situations, women at a crossroads, women in dire straits financially."

Meanwhile, the Skinnygirl founder recently spoke out in defence of women who feel "tortured" by long divorce processes, saying she wants to be a "voice of empowerment".

Bethenny said: "I have had women say to me, ‘It’s been six years since my divorce ended and I am still being tortured.’

"It never ends, and I imagine there are millions and millions more than the women I have spoken to. I want to be a voice of empowerment."