“Valerie Bertinelli Shares Struggles with Trusting a New Partner after Heartbreak”
In January, cookbook author Valerie Bertinelli started dating Mike Goodnough. Months later, she opened up about learning to trust again and recovering from a previous heartbreak in a recent Instagram post on June 25. In her post, Bertinelli shed light on her relationship with Goodnough and said that he is worth “fighting all the battles” for.
Valerie Bertinelli’s journey of healing and trust
The 64-year-old Bertinelli claimed that, before dating Goodnough, she had begun her “healing journey” in late 2022. In November 2022, Berintelli and her ex-husband Tom Vitale formalized their divorce.
Bertinelli reflected on her personal journey, stating, “I believed that I had truly worked on and achieved vulnerability and authenticity, and I thought I had overcome most of my inner struggles.” She went on to describe facing a new challenge: trust.
She remembered understanding that re-entering a relationship could bring up triggers even after she had healed from a toxic one. Those were the moments she didn’t realize were still there within her.
She ended her message with a fervent vow to battle the last devils on her boyfriend’s behalf, thanking him for everything he had done for her. The TV personality added that she had never met a man who was more considerate, kind, compassionate, clever, amusing, and grateful.
Finding love and resilience
Bertinelli concluded by praising his appearance, saying, “And look at him. I mean.” Bertinelli was formerly married to Van Halen frontman Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until 2007, and she was married to financial advisor Vitale from 2011 until 2022. Van Halen was diagnosed with throat cancer in 2020, the year of his death.
She gave her followers advice in an Instagram Story post from March 2023, saying, “When something has always been toxic, focus on healing to desensitize yourself. To move on, you don’t always have to forgive.”
In an interview for a cover story in April, she said, “I’ve found love again. I was determined not to allow myself to fall in love again, so it’s been quite the emotional roller coaster.” Her words convey a path of self-improvement and heartfelt resiliency.
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