Val Conquers Her Fear

Aired on: March 3, 2009

When Valerie Bertinelli was invited to strut down the catwalk at the Heart Truth's Red Dress event during Fashion Week, she thought she was ready to strike a pose. "I don't know how you felt," she tells Rachael, who walked in 2007, "but I thought, 'Oh, I could do this, it's walking! Who can't walk, right? I've been walking for 48 years! I should be able to do this.'"

But as Valerie soon discovered, sharing the runway with models while cameras flash incessantly is actually quite daunting. She used a classic tip to help her conquer her fear. "I just imagine everyone there naked," she says. "And it really kind of does work because it takes your mind off of being nervous, because you're trying to imagine these people naked ... and your imagination can really go wild!"

Looking back on the experience, Val says, "I don't know if I nailed it, but it's more about believing in yourself ... The buildup to it is much more nerve-wracking. Then, once you're doing it and you're out there, it's like, 'Oh, this is kind of fun.'"

When one of Rachael's viewers wants to conquer her fear of public speaking, Valerie volunteers to take on the challenge.