Judge Greg Mathis and his wife, Linda Reese Mathis, are opening up about their reconciliation.

The couple separated last August for three weeks after Linda filed for divorce from the reality TV court show judge, citing irreconcilable differences. Shortly after, though, they called off the split.

Now, on The Tamron Hall Show, Greg, 65, has said the weeks they were separated were “devastating,” as he compared the emotions he felt to his grief after his mother’s death.

“[I] felt like I did when I lost my mother. That’s the feeling I had. And I’d do anything to get my mother back,” he said. “So I did anything to get my wife back.”

Linda, 62, explained how she decided to divorce her husband of 39 years, with whom she shares four kids — Jade, 40, Camara, 38, Greg Jr., 36, and Amir, 35 — initially.

“I supported him always. And, at that time, I felt I needed to just take care of me,” she said. “And that’s what I felt I was doing at that time.”

In the year since they’ve reconciled, Linda said they “did a lot of work” and “learned each other again.”

“We [have] enjoyed our time doing that, each and every day, and it’s just been progressively, just great,” she continued. “Every day has been just wonderful.”

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In February, their son, Greg Mathis Jr., told PEOPLE that the family is “doing well” following the split and reconciliation.

“I’ve never been in a media whirlwind like that before,” he said of the response to the initial divorce filing.

“I’m so happy they worked it out, though, because woah, that was a lot to go through,” he added. “I’m so happy.”