At 65, Valerie Bertinelli is finally making peace with the reflection in her mirror, but the journey to self-acceptance has been paved with decades of pain and trauma.
The beloved actress and former child star, known to millions for her role on One Day at a Time, has revealed the profound psychological scars left by years of public scrutiny and internalised body shame.
The Heavy Weight of Childhood Fame
"I was 11 or 12 years old when I started gaining weight," Bertinelli confesses, reflecting on her early years in the spotlight. "That's when the comments began - from family, from strangers, from the industry that would become my career."
She describes developing what she calls a "trauma bond" with food, using eating as both comfort and punishment throughout her teenage years and early adulthood.
The Scale That Stole Her Joy
For Bertinelli, the number on the scale became an unhealthy obsession that dictated her self-worth. "I let it determine whether I was going to have a good day or bad day," she admits. "If that number wasn't what I wanted it to be, I would literally torture myself."
This toxic relationship with weight and appearance persisted through her high-profile marriage to Eddie Van Halen and continued long after their divorce.
The Turning Point: Trading Shame for Self-Compassion
Now, at 65, Bertinelli has reached a pivotal moment in her life. She's consciously uncoupling her self-worth from the numbers - whether on a scale, a clothing tag, or a social media like counter.
"I'm done with judging myself," she declares with hard-won wisdom. "I don't want to spend whatever time I have left in this life, this body, not enjoying it."
A New Chapter of Healing
Bertinelli's journey toward self-acceptance includes:
- Recognising emotional eating patterns and their triggers
- Practicing daily self-compassion exercises
- Focusing on health rather than appearance
- Setting boundaries with critics - including her own inner voice
Her story serves as a powerful reminder that body image issues can affect anyone, regardless of age or success, and that healing is possible at any stage of life.
