Kyle Richards Says She Couldn't Rely on Her Marriage to Keep Her 'Safe and Grounded' amid Year of Hardships

Kyle Richards and Mauricio Umansky previously admitted to "having a rough year" in a joint statement announcing their separation in July

Kyle Richards is reflecting on the trials and tribulations she's endured over the past year.

On Wednesday's episode of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, the reality star, 54, opened up about how her rifts with her sister Kathy Hilton and her marital struggles with Mauricio Umansky had affected her mental health as she grieved the loss of her best friend Lorene Shea.

While meeting with her life coach, Kyle broke down into tears as she explained how the weight of the past year had taken a toll on her and things were made worse when her "very best friend ... took her life on May 1."

Related: Kyle Richards Admits She Needed 'Freedom and Some Space' from Husband Mauricio Umansky: 'It's Been Rough'

"Lorene was my other half, we always said we were separated at birth, only she was almost six-feet tall and blonde," she explained. "She's definitely the most important person in my life outside of my family. [She] knows more about me than anybody else, including my husband, your best friend all those years knows everything."

Kyle confessed she didn't know "what happened," and revealed that she had seemed "so together." The Halloween actress shared that she put Lorene in charge of "my children, my money, everything" in her personal will.

"I don't have answers, [I'm] frustrated," she cried, wiping the tears from her face.

Related: RHOBH Ladies Continue to Grill Kyle About Mauricio — Even as He's Titillated by Tattoo She Got with Pal Morgan

In a conversation with cameras, Kyle shared that Lorene was a "constant" in her life. The duo had experienced everything from boyfriends to pregnancy together. "I never imagined something like this," she added. "Never."

While dealing with loss and grief, the television personality said that she's been working to "surround" herself with people who give her love and support. She's also been striving to take care of her body and "do all the things that are gonna help me feel stronger."

"Losing my best friend and then what happened with my sister felt like another loss," she continued to the cameras. "What always kept me safe and grounded was my marriage, so not feeling like I had that either all at the same time is a lot."

Related: Kyle Richards Says She Was the Driving Force Behind Separation from Husband Mauricio Umansky

Kyle and Mauricio have been married since January 1996. The pair, who first met at a nightclub in 1994, share daughters Alexia, 27, Sophia, 23 and Portia, 15, as well as Farrah Brittany (née Aldjufrie), 34, from Kyle's first marriage to ex Guraish Aldjufrie.

In July, PEOPLE confirmed that the couple had separated after 27 years of marriage. Following the news, the reality stars released a joint statement indicating that "any claims regarding divorcing are untrue." However, they acknowledged that they "have had a rough year."

"The most challenging one of our marriage. But we both love and respect each other tremendously," they continued. "There has been no wrongdoing on anyone's part. Although we are in the public eye, we ask to be able to work through our issues privately. While it may be entertaining to speculate, please do not create false stories to fit a further salacious narrative. Thank you for the love and support, Kyle & Mauricio."

Despite their troubles, Umansky previously insisted he and Richards were working on their marriage. “We’ve been married for 27 years. We’re having a bit of a rough patch," he told PEOPLE in early October, adding that “sometimes life throws you different things” and “you’ve gotta work through it.”

“She and I currently are separated, but we are not throwing in the towel,” he went on. “We’re not just saying that to say that. We actually are not yet throwing in the towel.”

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The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Bravo.

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