Valerie Bertinelli is on 'healing journey' after past 'toxic' relationships
Valerie Bertinelli says she's on a "healing journey" coming out of a previous "toxic" relationship.
The TV personality and chef opened up about "learning to trust again" amid her relationship with Mike Goodnough in an Instagram post — a photo of the Hoarse Whisperings blogger accompanied by a lengthy caption.
Bertinelli, 64, said her journey started in "late 2022," coinciding with her divorce from Tom Vitale.
"I wanted my life to be different than it was and I wanted to be a whole and emotionally healthy human being," she wrote Monday. "Being vulnerable and authentic are two things I thought I had really worked on and accomplished and I really thought I had conquered most of my demons."
She continued: "I have heard that being in a relationship after healing from a toxic one will bring out some triggers you didn't know were still buried. And ain't that the truth."
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The "One Day at a Time" star admitted that Goodnough is someone worth making the effort for.
"This man is worth fighting the rest of my demons for. He is the most thoughtful, kind, gentle, intelligent, funny, and grateful man I’ve ever met," she wrote. "And look at him. 🥰 I mean…"
In addition to her divorce from Vitale, Bertinelli has discussed her relationship with ex-husband Eddie Van Halen, saying last month that she made it "into some sort of fantasy soulmate recreation of history."
"I made a lot of mistakes," she said. "I fell in love with him when I was 20, and it rapidly declined into drugs and alcohol and infidelity. Nothing that makes you feel loved and wanted and cared for. Nothing that would scream soulmate, that's for sure."
Bertinelli and Goodnough made things red carpet official earlier this month at the Daytime Emmy Awards and Instagram official April 19.
In April, Bertinelli said dating her then-unnamed suitor was "unlike any relationship that I've ever experienced with a man."
Valerie Bertinelliand her new boyfriend go Instagram official with Taylor Swift caption
"I've met someone. And I'm incredibly grateful for him," she told USA TODAY's The Essentials. "I don't want to say too much, but I feel incredibly blessed and lucky to have met him. I was going to die with my six cats and my dog and be incredibly happy doing it."
Goodnough has written extensively about Bertinelli on his blog. He confirmed the relationship to his Substack followers April 17.
"I am Valerie Bertinelli's boyfriend… and that may well be among the most surreal sentences I’ve ever pecked out. But it’s true… and nothing about our actual relationship seems surreal. It just seems… good… lucky… a gift," he wrote.
He continued: "So, the little rumor going around, consider it happily confirmed. I just adore her. I'm so glad we’re together."