Dom Harvey has opened up about his first ever therapy session, after making an emotional vow to start taking care of his mental health earlier this month.
The Edge radio host revealed he'd made the decision to seek help after recognising he had "unresolved issues" in his life, pertaining to his divorce from Jay-Jay Feeney, fertility issues and a family adoption "gone sour".
On Friday morning, Harvey reflected on his first appointment with a psychotherapist, which he said he'd been "petrified about".
"I realised I reached a point in my life where I just lost the ability to be vulnerable," he said.
"Over the years, times where I've been vulnerable on the air, often after that you'll be publicly shamed on Stuff or the NZ Herald website and people will use that against you.
"When these things happen, my walls just get higher and higher."
Harvey said while he had a close group of great friends, he hadn't had an open, honest and serious conversation with them in years.
"I thought: 'I've got to do something about this, I can't spend the rest of my life just being this corked up bottle that keeps squeezing stuff in'."
The broadcaster said that after initially opening up about his mental health on air, he received an "outpouring of love and support", including recommendations for a therapist.
Despite his fears, Harvey said he "really enjoyed" the session, where he addressed his trust issues and started learning about mindfulness.
"I feel like it's going to be a long process," he said.
Harvey's co-hosts Megan Annear and Clinton Randell said they and all The Edge listeners were proud of him for taking the first step.
