Valerie sits down with her close friend, writer, and travel blogger Jo Stougaard, for an intimate and wide-ranging conversation. Jo shares her ultimate insider travel tips for exploring the world, while also opening up about the deeper, more vulnerable aspects of her complicated family history. It’s a beautifully balanced episode that seamlessly transitions from practical wanderlust advice to the raw, unfiltered storytelling that defines the podcast.

In this episode of Getting Naked: The Podcast, host Valerie sits down with Hot in Cleveland executive producer Todd Milliner to trace his journey from Chicago improv to his 20-year comedy and business partnership with Sean Hayes. Milliner shares invaluable industry lessons learned from director Jim Burrows, answers fan questions, and lastly he and Val explore the Vick Tayback phenomenon.

In this 2nd edition of Asked and Answered, Valerie dives into the Valerie's Place voicemail to tackle a variety of raw, unfiltered questions from her members. With her signature blend of honesty and humor, it's raw, funny and unfiltered, just like Val.

There’s something in the air. Anxiety, worry, a quiet sense of unease. The news is relentless, AI feels daunting, and the world seems to be changing faster than we can process, leaving us overwhelmed and disconnected. Valerie talks with her friend, therapist and returning guest Melissa Brohner-Schneider about how to navigate it all and find calm in the chaos.

Who would you be if nobody told you who you were? Do you listen to your inner a**hole? What would it take for you to step out of your “safe bubble”? Valerie unpacks vulnerability, shame, love and more with bestselling author of the books “Proof of Life” and “Being Human” and radical workshop leader Jennifer Pastiloff, who insists “you are never lost.”

After the death of her husband of 37 years, Young and the Restless star Jerry Douglas, television personality and beauty expert Kym Douglas believed she’d already had her one great love and that was it for the rest of her life. She was wrong. Valerie unpacks Kym’s inspiring life story--surviving breast cancer, losing Jerry, daring to fall in love again, and remarrying at 65—while reflecting on her own hopes for love.

How do we say we’re grateful—and truly feel it? When life happens, the question becomes: “Now what?” We don’t have to be passive in our own lives. Valerie sits down with therapist Abby Gold to explore joy, disappointment, anger, gratitude, intention, perspective, and what it means to stay present through it all—in other words, everyday life.

Ever wonder how a food critic eats-and thinks-about food? Valerie talks to her good friend and go-to source for food and how it brings us all together, renowned LA Times restaurant critic (and 2025 James Beard Award finalist for criticism) Jenn Harris.

Valerie and renowned psychologist, professor, and author of the NY Times bestseller “It’s Not You,”  Dr. Ramani Durvasula engage in a hard and informative conversation about narcissism and narcissistic relationships, including the harm, the warning signs, and the “radical acceptance” necessary to begin to come out the other end.

Valerie dives into one of her greatest passions—cats—with Grace Choi, founder of the viral @KittyBoyandFriends. They share the heartbreak and joy of fostering special-needs kittens others pass by—and the surprising ways these tiny lives heal us right back. Plus, in a special Full Reveal, Valerie opens up about “the ultimate gift” pets bring into our lives.