Kathryn Dennis Opens Up About Sharing Custody with Ex Thomas Ravenel: 'Such a Drawn Out Devastation'

“When I am with you I feel so alive again…even when you can’t see me or hear me I am always thinking of you," Dennis wrote to her children in a post on Instagram

Kathryn Dennis is opening up about the challenges of co-parenting.

The former Southern Charm star, 32, penned an emotional message on Instagram Thursday about the difficulties she and some other co-parents face when it comes to seeing their children intermittently when custody is shared.

“When I am with you I feel so alive again…even when you can’t see me or hear me I am always thinking of you…know that our love connects us by an invisible string, always,” Dennis wrote to her kids in the caption of her post, which was accompanied by several images of herself and her two children, daughter Kensington (Kensie), 9, and son St. Julien (Saint), 7, whom she shares with ex-boyfriend and fellow reality star Thomas Ravenel.

“I know that we will make it through these tough times and they won’t last forever🙏♥️ ,” she continued.

Related: Kathryn Dennis Confirms Exit from 'Southern Charm' After 8 Seasons: 'What a Wild Ride It's Been!'

Dennis and Ravenel have battled for custody and traded allegations since their split in 2016. The couple first met when Dennis joined the show in 2014 as a friend of the cast and the pair began an on-and-off romance.

In her Thursday post, the internet personality added that she was “sending strength” to “co-parents out there” who are struggling with the same thing.

“No matter the situation, being without your children is the most difficult pain you must carry each and every day you are without them,” she said. “It’s so unnatural and such a drawn out devastation. We need each others love and support — here’s to hope for the future.”

Alongside the message, the reality star — who, as PEOPLE exclusively confirmed at the time,exited Southern Charm earlier this year — shared three photos that were all about having fun with her two children. In the opening shot, she posed with the kids in front of the bowling lanes while the three of them held up bowling balls to the camera.

Related: 'Southern Charm' 's Kathryn Dennis Introduces an Adorable New Puppy for Christmas: 'Party of 4'

Another snap showed a selfie of Dennis with her Kensie, who nestled against her mother's chest as they awaited their turn to bowl. The post ended with an adorable photo of Saint sitting on the floor of the bowling alley with a ball in his hands as he smiled at the camera.

Dennis previously told PEOPLE at last fall’s BravoCon in New York City that when it comes to co-parenting her children with Ravenel, she's "just focusing on building a better life for me, for them and our family."

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 juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

"I have a great relationship with my kids," she adds. "We have a lot of fun."

Earlier this summer, Dennis shared a photo on Instagram that captured her sitting with her two kids in front of a chalkboard design created by her daughter with the words “Home,” as the trio smiled brightly at the camera.

“Had such a great day with the two most important people in my life,” she captioned the photo.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.