Getting Better with Jonathan Van Ness

This week, we’re talking: JVN’s return to yoga, which comedian makes JVN pull an oblique & an intercostal muscle, the process of becoming a U.S. Citizen, the perils of ankles being in weird positions, “Going Up on A Tuesday,” chickens in the Philippines, shark attacks, Cynthia Erivo’s reflexes, Megyn Kelly’s grift, The Devil Wears Prada 2 Trailer, Vulture’s article on Ziwe, reframing your view of self care, the trauma behind “Don’t Be Tardy,” the last penny, JVN bidding at auctions incorrectly as a kid, and Jack Schlossberg.  Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Woke Mind Virus? How about the Whiteness Mindset! JVN welcomes psychologist and author Dr. Jonathan Mathias Lassiter to dig into his new book, How I Know White People Are Crazy and Other Stories, and explore how a “whiteness mindset” shows up in everyday life. We talk about what it is, who exhibits it, how it drives control and denial, feeds our collective stress, and why naming it is the first step toward healing. From suppressing emotions to the lack of representation in mental health, Dr. Lassiter offers practical ways to care for ourselves and each other. We get into news hygiene (don’t doomscroll first thing!), how celebrity culture can hijack important conversations, and what living under chronic threat does to the body and brain.  Whether you’re unpacking your own conditioning, supporting someone you love, or just trying to stay human in a loud news cycle, this episode gives you tools to regulate, relate, and repair. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Dr. Jonathan Matthias Lassiter on Instagram @lassiterhealth  Follow Getting Better on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: Elyse Myers making The NY Times Best Seller List, Unisex Bathrooms, our TikTok round up, scorned Trump supporter centrists, the election of Mayor Zohran Mamdani, taxing billionaires and corporations, and answering your listener question!  Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Elyse Myers, (writer/creator) stopped by to talk to JVN all about her new book That's A Great Question, I'd Love To Tell You, living with ADHD, and navigating parenthood after being diagnosed with Autism as an adult. From masking and people-pleasing to boundaries and self-acceptance, Elyse shares the before/after of getting language following her diagnosis. Plus! We also dig into how she writes and why the Midwest is low-key the best.   Elyse Myers is a writer and comedian who achieved mainstream recognition as a digital content creator. Deemed "The Internet's Best Friend," Myers continues to serve her audience of more than 10M+ with relatable stories, twisted Q&A's over coffee, and acts as an advocate for countless topics such as ADHD, imposter syndrome, body image and more by allowing herself to be seen, unfiltered in a genuine and hilarious way. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Elyse Myers on Instagram @elyse_myers and Tiktok @elysemyers Follow Getting Better on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: money confidence, JVN Hair Update: Air Dry Cream…in tubs!, lazy headlines around GLP-1s, the return of Chris’ bob, pig & cow content, whistling, Poot Lovato, attacks on Same-Sex marriage, cis-gendered nuance, "West End Girl," Thanksgiving advice, and our Hot Bitch of the Week.  Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive content, bonus episodes, and more! www.patreon.com/jvn  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Money isn’t just about math — it’s about mindset. This week, JVN welcomes back financial educator, Her First $100K founder, and Financial Feminist Podcast host Tori Dunlap to the pod to talk about how we can break free from money shame and finally feel confident with our cash!  From debt and credit cards to saving, investing, and taxes, Tori breaks down the emotional and practical sides of money management — and why so many of us tie our self-worth to our bank accounts. They’re talking about how to build real financial confidence, stop saying “I’m bad with money,” and start making choices that align with your values. Whether you’re paying off debt, dreaming about investing, or just trying to chill every time you check your balance — this episode will help you rethink what financial freedom really means.  BIO: Tori Dunlap is a financial educator, author, and entrepreneur best known as the founder of Her First $100K, a multimillion-dollar company dedicated to financial feminism and helping women build money confidence. After saving $100,000 by age 25 and leaving her corporate marketing job, she grew her platform into a top podcast and New York Times bestselling book of the same name, Financial Feminist. Today, Tori reaches millions with practical tools for tackling debt, saving, and investing, and was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 for her work reshaping how women talk about money. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Tori Dunlap on Instagram @herfirst100k  Follow The Financial Feminist @financialfeministpodcast  Follow Getting Better on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: some big considerations following last week’s hypnosis episode, Halloween, money shame, soft-pitching “The Cancelistas,” speaking on panels, smoked fish, Ralph Lauren Christmas, the continued government shutdown, SNAP benefits, the White House Ballroom renovation, $230 Million from the Justice Department, Kristi Noem’s private jet, being a Patriot for Gymnastics, and the Louvre burglary.  Check out the JVN Patreon for a BTS vlog and post-show debrief of The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall starring JVN, Laverne Cox, Dylan Mulvaney, Betty Who, Alex Newell, Peppermint, and many many more! www.patreon.com/jvn  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hypnosis is not just swinging watches, stage magic, or Scooby Doo fodder - it's a tool we can all use to help rewire our brains. This week, JVN talks with Melissa Tiers, founder of The Center for Integrative Hypnosis in New York City. Melissa is a hypnotist whose work spans decades and has helped people effectively rewire their brains for the better. We're talking about self-hypnosis techniques, debunking misconceptions, and the mass hypnosis plaguing us all.  BIO: Melissa Tiers is the founder of The Center for Integrative Hypnosis in New York City and co-founder of the Ethical Coaching Collective. She’s an award-winning author, coach, and hypnosis trainer known for blending neuroscience and mind-body techniques to help people create lasting change. Melissa has received the International Medical and Dental Hypnotherapy Association’s Pen & Quill Award three times and the National Guild of Hypnotists President’s Award for excellence in her field. Her work has been featured in Marie Claire and More Magazine, and she has spoken at international hypnosis conferences across the U.S., U.K., and Europe. Melissa is also the author of several books, including Integrative Hypnosis and Keeping the Brain in Mind. Melissa’s free class - Emotional First Aid: Free Training for the Resistance Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Melissa Tiers on Instagram @melissatiers Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: Warning labels on wigs, The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall, what hypnosis can do for you, the Politico article on Young Republican leaders and their White supremacist, racist, and deeply offensive Telegram chat, the world gymnastics championship, our love of Peacock, Sunday Scaries, apple cider & apple cider donut flavor stories, Bette Midler’s bangs, and RIP Diane Keaton. Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure.Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re living in a time when mental health terms are EVERYWHERE. But is our obsession with therapy-speak helping us grow, or just confusing us more? This week, JVN sits down with psychotherapist and author Joe Nucci to talk about his new book PSYCHOBABBLE and the rise of pop psychology online. Together, they unpack what a psychotherapist really does, how self-diagnosis can backfire, and why therapy buzzwords like “attachment styles,” “boundaries,” and “trauma” often lose meaning when they go viral. From the truth about mindfulness (and why it’s not for everyone) to spotting real insight amid the noise, this episode dives deep into how we talk about mental health—and what it actually means to get better. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Joe Nucci on Instagram @joenuccitherapy  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Take the online quiz and introduce Ollie to your pet. Visit https://www.ollie.com/better today for 60% off your first box of meals! #ToKnowThemIsToLoveThem Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week, we’re talking: a National amendment to enshrine abortion access as healthcare, JVN Holiday Box Gift sets, navigating online “therapy speak,” The Drowsy Chaperone at Carnegie Hall, the fate of Ophelia music video, Tiktoks overtaking our algorithm, the unfolding ceasefire, prosecuting political enemies, supporting NPR, Dylan Mulvaney’s one-woman-show, posting pictures of your partner on instagram, and Starbucks Protein Coffee.  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Planned Parenthood President and CEO Alexis McGill Johnson is here and we are fired up! Alexis is leading the fight to protect reproductive freedom at a time when access to healthcare is under attack across the U.S.—and she’s breaking it all down for us. JVN sat down with Alexis to talk about the real-world impact of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, how rural communities are being left behind, and why Planned Parenthood remains an essential lifeline for millions. Plus: what we can all do to stay informed, get involved, and fight back for equitable care. BIO: Alexis McGill Johnson is the President and CEO of the Planned Parenthood Action Fund, a leading advocate for sexual and reproductive health and rights. She is also the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), a national nonprofit organization that is the country's most trusted name in sexual and reproductive health. Alexis McGill Johnson is a renowned social justice leader, lifelong political organizer, and a tireless advocate for reproductive rights and access to quality, affordable health care. Alexis has served in both organizations’ leadership for more than 15 years: as a former PPFA board chair, former Planned Parenthood Action Fund board member, and former Planned Parenthood Federal PAC chair. In those roles Alexis helped expand Planned Parenthood Action Fund’s advocacy power, and since taking leadership has led the organization through challenges — from its exclusion from Title X to the Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Alexis McGill Johnson on Instagram @alexismjpp Planned Parenthood on Instagram @plannedparenthood Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Visit ⁠www.imforpp.org⁠ for more info. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Looking for your next favorite podcast (besides mine, of course)? Heavyweight, hosted by Jonathan Goldstein, will break your heart...and then put it back together. In each episode, Jonathan helps someone revisit a defining regret, lost connection, or unsolved mystery from their life—and gently, hilariously, humanely, helps them try to make it right. If you’ve ever found yourself replaying a moment from your past and wondering what could’ve gone differently, this is the podcast for you. In this episode, you’ll meet Michael, who, as a high school senior, got his lucky break—the chance to star in a big-budget movie. Shooting wrapped, a premier date was set...and then he found out that his success was all based on a lie. Michael wanted to know—how did it all go so wrong? Find Heavyweight wherever you get your podcasts. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We’re talking: WAYWARD’s No. 1 spot on Netflix, celeb sightings at The Corner Store, Figure Skating & Gymnastics on Peacock, bag etiquette, AI Trump posts, One Big Beautiful Bill Act tax breaks & healthcare cuts, what extreme gender ideology actually is, situationship ghosting, Libra season, Diet Coke with Lime, and ponytails in baseball hats.  Tiktok Roundup:  MariSparkly JVN Talking OBBBA Judy Garland’s Diet Pepsi Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn and senior producer Chris @amomentlikechris  New video episodes Getting Better on YouTube every Wednesday.  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Comedian, actor, and writer Mae Martin joins the podcast for a wild ride through their journey — from discovering Ace Ventura as a kid, to cutting their teeth in comedy clubs, to creating the hit Netflix series Wayward. In this episode, Mae opens up about how identity, rejection, and resilience have shaped their comedy and storytelling, and why Wayward feels so personal. We explore the highs and lows of life in comedy, Mae’s creative process, and the joy they find in making art that connects. If you’re obsessed with Wayward or curious about the path that brought Mae here, this conversation is funny, real, and full of heart. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Mae Martin on Instagram @hooraymae Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - check it out here: www.patreon.com/jvn  Senior Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support: Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Curious about bringing your brand to life on the show? Email podcastadsales@sonymusic.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices