Getting Curious With Jonathan Van Ness

Disagreements are everywhere right now - and let’s be honest, they can get messy fast. But what if arguing didn’t have to wreck your relationships… or your nervous system? This week on Getting Better, JVN sits down with Dr. Julia Minson, a Harvard decision scientist and leading expert on disagreements, to unpack why we clash, how we can do it better, and the small shifts that make a huge difference. From dinner table debates to full-on conflict spirals, we’re getting into the psychology behind why being “right” isn’t always the win you think it is. Together, they explore the gold standard for healthy disagreement, where conflict actually comes from, and the real-life tools you can start using today to stay grounded, curious, and connected - even when you deeply disagree. How to Disagree Better by Julia Minson out now! Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Dr. Julia Minson on Instagram @juliaminson  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn  Follow Jonathan on Instagra

This week: we’ve compiled our favorite Monday Edit Spelling Bee’s for your listening pleasure! Regularly scheduled TME’s will be back next Monday - but don’t forget to tune in this Wednesday, April 15th for a brand new episode of Getting Better with Harvard decision scientist Julia Minson talking all about how to disagree better. Divaaaa, do we need that now more than ever or what?  Wanna see JVN on stage? Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.    Catch Getting Better & The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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 you

Conversion therapy is back in the headlines—and it may be closer to home than you think. Today, we’re unpacking the reality of conversion therapy: what it teaches, how it operates, and the lasting impact it can have on identity, spirituality, and healing. In light of the Supreme Court’s recent ruling in Chiles v. Salazar, this conversation feels more urgent than ever. To help us do this, we have Timothy Schraeder Rodriguez, author of the upcoming book Conversion Therapy Dropout (May 5).  Through Tim’s personal story, we explore the pull of religious spaces, the promise of belonging, and the painful unraveling that can follow. Note: This episode was recorded prior to the March 31 Supreme Court ruling. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Tim Schraeder Rodriguez on Instagram @timothy.s.rodriguez Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support fr

This week: we’re talking about: What WE’RE Getting Better At, having a BIG GAY Spelling Bee, and the Supreme Ruling on Conversion Therapy.  Related Articles:  Lipstick Lesbian Controvery LeAnn Rimes Jaw Tension Conversion Therapy Dropout Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.    The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

GLP-1... 4-LIFE? JVN is joined by Dr. Liz Kazarian for a candid conversation on GLP-1 medications, the future of obesity care, and JVN’s personal journey with the medication. They cover: Food tracking—helpful or harmful? How does family medicine shape patient care? Do you take GLP-1s forever? Plus - what it takes to sustain long-term health on this “miracle” medication.  Dr. Liz Kazarian is a board-certified family medicine physician specializing in obesity medicine, with a clinical focus on women’s health, preventive care, and chronic disease management. She earned her medical degree from Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine and completed her residency in Family Medicine at the University of Virginia. As part of PMA Health, Dr. Kazarian provides comprehensive, patient-centered care, with an emphasis on long-term wellness and individualized treatment plans. Her approach integrates lifestyle, behavioral, and medical strategies to support sustainable health outcomes, particularly in the treatme

This week: we’re talking about CATS: The Jellicle Ball, weddings, maiden name lore, striving for excellence (not perfection), GLP-1 Spelling Bee, Alexia Moore’s arrest, sleep for memory, the North Atlantic current, and Broadway bootlegs.  Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.    The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

Show them you can THRIVE.  Hey Better Babes! It’s my birthday week, and I’m sitting down with my of my BEST friends in the whole wide world - Dylan Mulvaney! Dylan opens up about thriving under pressure, Broadway’s SIX, and navigating fame, criticism, and identity in the public eye. In this episode, she shares powerful insights on self-love, mindfulness, and what it really takes to stay grounded while living online and in the spotlight. From paparazzi and privacy to personal growth, ayahuasca, and friendship—you better believe we’re gonna talk about it.  Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Dylan Mulvaney on Instagram @dylanmulvaney  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much more - ch

This week, we’re talking: JVN’s birthday, Inner Child Work, weekend milestones, hack-a-rella sickness, what WE’RE getting better at this week, Afroman on TikTok, Broadway-Themed Spelling Bee, covering up hickeys, Alexandra Paul & Animal Rights Activists, and Dunkin Donuts Banana Iced Coffees.  Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.    The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

Ever wondered why we lash out, shut down, or spiral emotionally, even when we don't want to? On this episode of Getting Better, JVN teams up with psychologist and author Dr. Nicole LePera (The Holistic Psychologist) to dive deep into inner child healing, parts work, and the shocking truth behind our nervous system's reactions. Dr. LePera reveals how our past molds our emotions, why connection is our biological imperative, and how to become your own adult parent. JVN opens up about their own "parts," and together they dissect black-and-white thinking, fear, and emotional overwhelm, uncovering real-world strategies to break free! If healing has ever felt messy, scary, or downright nonlinear, this conversation may help you truly "getting better." Dr. Nicole LePera's new book Reparenting the Inner Child: The New Science of Our Oldest Wounds and How to Heal Them is out March 24th. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Dr. Nicole LePera on Instagram @the.holistic.psychologist

This week, we’re talking: Hot & Healed Comedy Tour, Double Take Trend, Reba on TikTok, Melodyne vs. Autotune, Candace Cameron-Bure Attending Demonic Sex Parties and telling everyone about it, St. Patrick’s Day Spelling Bee, Nick Fuentes on Women, Katie Couric’s “use it or lose it” Reporting, CBS, Save America Act,  to have a kid or not to have a kid, and protein pop-tarts.  Get tix to the Hot & Healed Comedy Tour here.    The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

What if getting dressed could actually help you feel better? This week, JVN sits down with Marie Claire Editor-in-Chief Nikki Ogunnaike to talk about dopamine dressing, personal style, and why fashion is so much deeper than just clothes. Together, they get into how to figure out what your style really is, why “everything is fashion,” and how vintage, retail, and finding a good deal can all shape the way we express ourselves. BIO: Named editor-in-chief of Marie Claire (US), Nikki Ogunnaike is among a new wave of women driving fresh relevance across fashion titles (The Washington Post saluted her and her peers in a recent collective profile). Previously at Harper’s Bazaar in the role of senior digital director, she has a strong following through social channels and an all-around style that resonates with younger readers. In this new chapter for the reliable women’s magazine, Ogunnaike’s direction signals broader representation of faces and voices through fashion, beauty and news coverage, while appearing shar

This week we’re talking: prepping for the Hot & Healed comedy tour, self-tape adventures, new Instagram follows, shopping quirks, our weekly spelling bee, dermatologist updates, geopolitical reflections on the military action Iran, answering your listener questions, and of course - our Hot B of the Week! The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

What happens when you meet someone who looks like your long-lost twin… and then they also have an iconic backstory to match?  JVN is joined by Matt Newman (aka MattLovesHair on social media) for one helluva delightful conversation. From photoshoot fiascos, an ANTM-era detour, and Matt’s origin story as an OG Drybar stylist. From there, it’s all the hits - strip club stories, “DollarStoreJVN,” frat hazing, first love, and how social media can shape (and sometimes warp) the way we see ourselves. Then we go deeper: how gender expression evolves, what it takes to feel safe being seen, and the confidence it requires to live more honestly—even when the world has opinions. And yes… JVN talks about potentially chopping their hair off, what it was like cutting their hair back in the day, and what it taught them about identity, control, and change. If you’ve ever felt like you were editing yourself to fit the room, this one will hit—and leave you feeling a little braver. Full Getting Better Video Episodes n

This week, JVN & Chris talk: Softwave Skin Treatments, "Friend of Dorothy," the ANTM Documentary, Murder in Glitterball City, the weekly Spelling Bee, U.S. presence in Iran, and ICE Detention Centers. Plus - JVN answers your listener questions, and we drop this week’s Hot B*tch of the Week.  The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive 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

Cindy Eckert (Addyi) joins JVN to talk all things women’s sexual health, libido, and the science behind desire. Cindy breaks down her TIME100 Health feature, gives a preview of the upcoming Paramount+ documentary about her workThe Pink Pill: Sex, Drugs & Who Has Control, shares the iconic story of Addyi (often called the “female Viagra”) and her fight for better access to women’s health care. Jonathan and Cindy also unpack the science of libido, how hormones, stress, and stigma affect sexual wellness, and why sexual health is directly connected to quality of life.  If you’ve ever wondered about low libido, women’s sexual desire, Addyi, or how to talk about sexual health without shame - this episode is for you! Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Cindy Eckert on @cindypinkceo  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall

This week, JVN & Chris talk: Punch the Monkey, the return of the perm, Supreme Court striking down Trump Tariffs, Kristi Noem’s private jet funded from ICE’s budget, the shelf life of slang, and our hot b*tches of the week!  The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer, 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

How Enneagrams can help YOU! This week, JVN dives into the world of the Enneagram with coach and expert, Courtney Smith. This is the personality system that  doesn’t just describe your behavior… it describes your motivation. JVN learns their type and discovers why two people who look NOTHING alike (hi history!) can actually operate from the exact same psychological blueprint. We’re talking: What the Enneagram actually is (and what it definitely is not). The 9 types and their core fears + desires. Instincts — the part that explains your relationships, stress, and habits. Why people-pleasing and codependence show up. How mistyping happens (and why most of us do it). And yes… JVN’s official type reveal.  BIO: Courtney Smith combines her experience as a management consultant with her expertise in a variety of tools and practices (including the Enneagram) to offer coaching and consulting services tailored to the individuals and organizations she works with. She is committed to helping all of us see how we

This week, JVN & Chris talk: calling out sick, Bad Bunny's Super Bowl Performance, Winter Olympics themed spelling bee, the HIV Funding Rollback, Greenhouse gases, and Hasan Piker's POV on 3rd Party voting. Plus! This week's HBOTW.  The Monday Edit, now on YouTube!  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  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

We’re getting out the red yarn, receipts, proof, timeline, screenshots - f*cking everything - and piecing together the saga of that is: The Epstein Files. JVN and Betches co-founder, Sami Sage, unpack a tangled web that tracks 50 years into the past and traces all the way to today. From concrete evidence to conspiracy theories - this is just the tip of the iceberg, and we'll be keeping an eye on this EVER unfolding story here on the pod. Sami Sage, host of Morning Announcements and co-founder of Betches Media. Catch Morning Announcements wherever you get your podcasts. Full Getting Better Video Episodes now available on YouTube.  Follow Sami Sage on Instagram @sami  Follow us on Instagram @gettingbetterwithjvn Jonathan on Instagram @jvn Executive Producer, Chris McClure Producer, Editor & Engineer is Nathanael McClure Production support from Chad Hall Our theme music is also composed by Nathanael McClure. Check out the JVN Patreon for exclusive BTS content, extra interviews, and much much m

Choose Courage, Build Community, and Take Action to Create Change…  ICYMI: JVN sits down with Cristina Jiménez Moreta to talk about her new book Dreaming of Home: How We Turn Fear Into Pride, Power, and Real Change and the work being done at United We Dream, the country’s largest youth-led immigrant organization – which Cristina co-founded. Plus our breakdown of the Tony awards and our HBOTW! Cristina Jiménez Moreta is an award-winning community organizer, political strategist, prominent advocate for social justice, and author. She is the Co-Founder and former Executive Director of United We Dream (UWD), the nation’s largest immigrant youth-led organization. Cristina immigrated to the U.S. from Ecuador with her family in 1998, seeking a better life. She grew up undocumented in Queens, New York, and has since become a powerful voice in the fight for immigrant rights and equity. Cristina is currently a Distinguished Lecturer at the City College of New York’s Colin Powell School, where she also co-teaches Lea