Domenica Calarco spent 21 days in a mental health ward. At the same time, she was falling in love.

Domenica Calarco has ended her social media hiatus and she's ready to talk about it.

The reality star has a new lease on life and coincidentally, she has debuted a new love of her life.

Last month, the popular MAFS bride hard-launched her new boyfriend, Bondi man Jarod Bogunovich.

On TikTok, she's referred to him as her 'soul mate'.

@domenica.calarco

Just sharing some recent awakenings with you all 😆 #love

♬ eredeti hang – Griffins4U - Griffins4U

In a chat with Mamamia, Dom opened up about how her relationship with Jared actually first began three years ago.

"We met on Bumble in 2021. We actually went on a date before I was cast for MAFS. The timing just wasn't right for us then and we went our separate ways," the 31-year-old told us.

"Then this year as fate would have it, we met again at a boxing gym Pad Flow in Sydney. I decided to take up boxing for my fitness and we reconnected; the universe works in amazing ways!"

Dom previously had a faux-marriage with Jack Millar and a relationship with Jack Norris that ended earlier this year, but she admitted this new relationship feels different.

"Having spent a solid amount of time this year working on myself, I feel like I'm finally going into a relationship putting myself and my needs first. I've met a man that isn't intimidated or feels neglected which is not only attractive to me but it feels like it's the first non-toxic relationship I've ever been in," she said.

"I'm very happy. He makes me feel loved and special every single day."

Dom hard-launched her boyfriend last month. Image: Instagram/@domenica.calarco.

In early 2024 while she was still in the early stages with Jared, Dom's life started to unravel.

She said it was a perfect storm of factors.

One factor that had to come into play was the controversy she and her MAFS co-star Ella Ding found themselves in after they interviewed divisive season 11 groom Jack Dunkley on their podcast, Sit With Us.

The interview was widely slammed, most publicly by Abbie Chatfield, due to the apparent 'soft' line of questioning directed at Jack over a scene where he told co-star Jonathan McCullough to "muzzle" his wife, Lauren Dunn, during a dinner party.

The Sit With Us podcast uploaded a follow-up episode to address the backlash where Dom issued an apology.

"I now understand that by having Jack on the podcast people are upset because it potentially had shown that we weren't supportive of women because we platformed him," Dom said.

"For making people feel uncomfortable and for triggering them in that situation by having Jack on, I apologise."

The online response and trolling from their critics was immense. Dom shared several TikToks on the verge of tears.

By the end of May, Dom deactivated both her Instagram and TikTok accounts shortly after announcing via an Instagram Story she was checking into a mental health facility.

Image: Instagram/@sitwithusthepod

"A series of events happened that led me to have to face the demons that had been lurking for years. It was at that moment that I knew I had to take control over my mental health and admitted myself to a mental health ward in Sydney," she told us.

"I wasn't initially planning on spending the full 21 days there but after spending 10 days on the ward I knew going through the full program would be best for me in conjunction with changing my medications under the supervision of my psychiatrist. I feel like I've come out with the tools and strategies that not only put everything into perspective but will enable me to be able to deal with change in a way that doesn't feel so disruptive to my life."

In August, Dom announced she was ending the Sit With Us podcast after two years.

In a post on the podcast's Facebook page, Dom wrote that she and Ella had come to a "joint decision" to end the podcast.

"As I sit to write this, my heart is filled with gratitude for each and every one of you," Dom wrote.

"Over the past two years, your unwavering support has meant the world to me, and I want to take a moment to express my deepest thanks."

Amid this difficult time, Dom's love life was better than ever. She admits that their relationship took off while she was checked into the mental health facility where he would frequently visit.

"During my time in the ward we were still just friends, it was very early on in reconnecting and the fact that he stuck around and didn't run away still to this day is testament to the man he is," she said.

"He would come and take me for coffee on the weekends when I was able to have a few hours leave, and brought boxing to me! He would hold pads for me so I was still able to keep up my boxing which was a huge part of my healing journey and still is to this day."

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A post shared by Domenica Calarco (@domenica.calarco)

Jared's unconditional support was something Dom noted she didn't receive from all her friends during this time.

"Unfortunately we will live in a world where some people just do not understand mental health and the way that it impacts one's life. This isn't a new revelation to me, I've been through this before in life, and friends do come and go," she said.

After the end of the Sit With Us podcast, several reports have suggested that Dom and Ella's friendship suffered as a consequence.

The former friends no longer follow each other on Instagram.

"Dealing with a very public friendship breakdown was always going to be hard, but at the end of the day I need to focus on me," Dom told us.

Watch this video on the ways social media negatively impact teenager's mental health. Post continues after video.

Ultimately, Dom is taking 2024 in her stride and learning lessons in protecting her peace online.

"The main thing I've learnt is to focus on my circle of control. Knowing what I can and can't control is the only way I'm able to continue being in the public eye. It has taken me a lot to get to this place, and as toxic as social media can be, it has played a crucial part in finding myself again," she said.

Dom hopes by talking about what she went through, she can make other people struggling feel less alone.

"Sharing my journey and my struggles so publicly has been so humbling and refreshing at the same time," she admitted.

"If I can share my story and make even one person feel seen then I know I'm doing the right thing."

Feature image: Instagram/@domenica.calarco.