The Hollywood star Valerie Bertinelli of “One Day At A Time” fame spent much of last year embroiled in a bitter divorce battle with her ex Tom Vitale before it was finally finalized in November.
Though she did not specifically mention Vitale, Bertinelli took to her Instagram Story on Tuesday to tell her followers that she is in therapy to heal from a past relationship with a “narcissist” who called her “fat and ugly.”
Bertinelli ‘Healing’ From Her Past
“By searching for that, by healing that, I have just put a better life forward for myself, a more joyful, a more happy life. … I finally feel like I deserve it,” said Bertinelli, 62, according to Page Six.
Bertinelli went on to assure her fans that she is “long over the narcissist.”
“I have moved on from the s–tty part, and I am going into the really, really hard part that has the most benefits to it,” she continued.
This came one day after Bertinelli posted a video to Instagram in which she asked herself, “Why did you let them stay after finding the texts?”
“I don’t know,” she replied.
Related: Valerie Bertinelli Sounds Off About ‘Emotional Abuse’ After Bitter Divorce
Bertinelli Is Called ‘Fat And Lazy’
Bertinelli further opened up about this on her Story, admitting that she’s struggled in the past with feeling unworthy.
“I have been screamed at so many times and told how fat and lazy I am,” she recalled, according to People Magazine. “I realize … that was someone just projecting on me whatever they needed to project on me, but my part in all of it was believing it, and I don’t believe it anymore.
“But it still doesn’t stop the feelings from coming up and the hurt,” she continued. “So that’s what we’re doing today. We’re feeling the feelings and letting them go. Giving them a voice.”
Bertinelli concluded by offering advice to any fans of hers who have partners that try to “dim [their] light.”
“F–k ’em. Shine bright,” she said.
When one fans said in the comments section that Bertinelli needs to “move on,” the former “Hot In Cleveland” star fired back by saying, “I have. … I find through journaling, therapy and especially humor that I am healing even faster.”
Bertinelli’s Marriage And Divorce History
Bertinelli was previously married to the late rocker Eddie Van Halen from 1981 until they divorced in 2007. She then married Vitale, who is a financial planner, in 2011 and remained married to him until they separated in November of 2021. After a year of going back and forth over finances, the couple’s bitter divorce was finalized in November of 2022.
“My lawyer just called. The papers are all signed. They’re about to be filed,” she said after learning that the divorce was finalized. “On 11/22/22, I am officially f—— divorced. Happily divorced. God. Finally. It’s finally over. YES!”
Bertinelli Struggled With Divorce
Bertinelli has long been open about how tough her latest divorce was for her.
“I am gonna be more than happy to be happily divorced and spend the rest of my life alone,” she told TODAY in June of last year. “I’ll be happy that way. Well, with my six cats and my dog and my son, and hopefully one day grandchildren.”
Bertinelli went on to say that the divorce was so hard for her that she is no longer open to finding love again with someone else.
“Oh God, no,” she said when asked if she will be looking for love again in the future. “Because of the challenges that I’m going through right now, because divorce sucks. I can’t imagine ever trusting anyone again to let into my life. So I have some trust issues that I’m sure I’m going to have to get past. Divorce sucks.”
Bertinelli is clearly struggling right now, and her journey to healing her heart may be a long one. Please join us in saying a prayer for her during this difficult time.
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