Jackie Goldschneider Chronicles Battle with Anorexia in New Memoir — See the Cover

Jackie Goldschneider is telling her story in her own words.

PEOPLE can exclusively reveal the news that the Real Housewives of New Jersey star has penned her first book, a new memoir titled The Weight of Beautiful.

Set to publish Sept. 26, the self-written book finds the mother of four chronicling her decades-long battle with anorexia and public journey to recovery.

"I wrote this book so people can truly understand how terrifying and insidious an eating disorder can be," Goldschneider tells PEOPLE. "My story shows how quickly you can spiral into diet culture and how shameful it can feel to live with so many secrets.

"This book is for anyone who has ever known or loved someone with an eating disorder and for the millions of people who struggle themselves."

Goldschneider joined RHONJ as a Housewife in season 9, and over the course of four seasons candidly opened up about starting recovery from her 18-year eating disorder — arguably one of the most emotionally raw storylines the Housewives franchise has ever seen.

In her book, Goldschneider goes deeper into her struggle, according to its official description.

"All Jackie Goldschneider ever wanted was to be thin," it says. "As a child, she'd stand in front of the mirror, sucking in her stomach and arching her back to feel her ribs, praying to see a model-like figure looking back. As an obese teen, lonely and tormented by her weight, her doctor encouraged her to start dieting, ultimately leading to a prolonged battle with anorexia that nearly took her life.

"After decades of hiding her eating disorder from friends, family, and the world, Jackie is ready to expose the realities of her devastating struggle with anorexia, including the harrowing day-to-day tactics she employed to count calories and restrict meals, her struggles with fertility and pregnancy, the effects her eating disorder had on her relationships with her husband and children, and ultimately how, in a twist of fate, becoming a reality TV star saved her life."

Back in December 2022, Goldschneider opened up to PEOPLE about the status of her recovery, saying she's in a "really good place" now.

"I'd say I turned a corner in my recovery early on in the summer. And I now am really, really healthy," she said. "I mean, I still have room to grow; I am still in a lot of therapy just to make sure I keep moving forward. But I have a really good relationship with food. Stress just has no effect on my eating. And I don't allow my emotions and food to interact with each other at all. I feel great."

"Before, it was hard for me to really let go. I would do everything I could to convince everyone I wasn't sick. It wasn't just about getting heavy or getting skinny, I wasn't ready to let go of all the mental issues that went along with gaining weight for me," she continued. "And now, I've gotten there."

She went on to explain that she wouldn't have been able to do the work had Bravo not moved into a Friend of role for season 13, after she told them her recovery was not in the place she expected it to be and wasn't sure how to balance the stress of the show with the "intense therapy" she needed.

"I'm really so appreciative of them," said Goldschneider. "The fact that they understood where I was coming from and were willing to work with me on this so that I could remain a part of the show and still prioritize my health was such a gift. At every turn, they told me how important I was to the show. They never made me feel unvalued. I'm just so grateful."

Preorders for The Weight of Beautiful are available now. The Real Housewives of New Jersey airs Tuesdays (9 p.m. ET) on Bravo.