Betsy Goodhue

When you’re in transition, it’s the perfect time to assess what’s most important in your life.

The changes keep coming at you, and you’ve hardly had a moment to stop and think about what you want.

Whether you’re worried about…

• Big life changes

• A shift in family structure like divorce

• Career transitions

• Parenting challenges like teens or the kids moving out

Whatever life is throwing at you, it’s all weighing on you. Like a weight on your chest, you’re feeling unsettled, lost, and anxious. 

What do you do next?

I’ve been there too. Going through the motions of life and not realizing how quickly life was passing me by. 

Change is going to happen — let’s grow through it.

Hi, I’m Betsy!

I’m a life coach who works with women in transition who are ready to find their groove. I help them through the changes they’re facing — family structure, career change, or any other life change. Together, I support them in finding more joy and success as they grow into the badass women they want to be!

I know how challenging it is to navigate change with anxiety, depression, or unfaced trauma. 

“Isn’t it hard growing up in such a beautiful family?”

Coming into the world with a forceps delivery, I was born with a traumatic facial injury, which paralyzed half of my face. I had multiple surgeries over my life, including three surgeries in the last two years  — some being 12 hours long.

I’m filled with gratitude to tell you that my parents raised my older sister and me with unconditional love —  I always felt safe and loved. My sister is also one of my dearest friends and supporters.

It turned out that finding lifelong friends would become paramount to my well-being. Starting in the third grade, I made three of my closest friends and two more in the eighth grade. These valuable connections also showed me unconditional love. 

I especially appreciated their love and support; when in middle school, a teacher asked me, “Isn’t it hard growing up in such a beautiful family?” Who asks questions like this?!

It didn’t help that I grew up in a family that worked in an industry solely focused on appearances — my mother ran a casting business. I mean, it was thrilling but oh so humbling. This involved such a focus on external beauty. Maybe you can imagine how uncomfortable it felt to not only roll up to a movie premiere in a limo but also have your name announced when you arrived. My father, however, was the complete opposite and was a biostatistician at John Hopkins University.

Things changed in my teens, though, starting in high school and later into college; I found myself putting back wine, beer, and even some tequila at social events to comfort myself. At the time, I thought that social drinking was a perfectly acceptable way to have fun.

While I was living it up, there were definitely some total jerks along the way that wanted to point out that I was different. I was always on high alert for those people because I never knew who that jerk would be and how’d they attack me. To this day, I still remember every time and every person.

Going through life looking “different” was a gift.

I’ve gone through life looking different from everyone and experienced all of the insecurities and victimhood that came along with that. I compartmentalized the fact that I looked different, stuffing it far down as if I was a human made up of all these separate pieces.

I made some terrible decisions from that place (marrying and divorcing in my 20s). And looking back, I see how insecure I was, and at the time, I didn’t realize that lack of confidence was driving my choices. 

Going through life looking “different” gave me the gift of seeing and experiencing life differently than most. I couldn’t rely on looks, so I developed survival tactics that I didn’t even know I had. At the same time, I was afraid of the looks strangers would give, knowing they were judging me when I knew I was so much more. Deep inside, I understood this and would eventually let my inner light shine through.

Pushing ahead in survival mode became a way of life for me — all in the pursuit of having a “normal” and happy life. Which I certainly did …  until I didn’t. 

My healing journey began when I faced a family crisis.

It wasn't until we had a family crisis that forced me to look at myself, find who I really was, and what I wanted my next chapter to look like. My son was struggling with addiction, and the day he left the house for Wilderness Therapy, I made him a promise. I told him that I’d work as hard on my healing as he would be working. At the time, I had no idea what this would really do to me. I’ve always been vulnerable, and I knew there was more to life than what I was experiencing and longed to move forward. It was finally time to confront the sadness I knew I was carrying around.

These things affect the entire family — what was my part in it all? 

Knowing my son was doing hard work, I dug into my personal work. I was in weekly therapy, started and attended support groups and retreats, did breathwork, acupuncture, and mediation, and read everything I could to assist in my growth to figure out who I was and what I truly wanted. 

During this time, I co-founded the Women’s Daily Post — an online and offline community for women to connect with other women through shared interests.

Exploring all my skills on the winding journey to finding myself.

You could say I kept busy in my professional life as I continued the invisible healing work.

I grew up cooking with my mom, an amazing self-taught cook who learned from a Julia Child book. After college, I went into the family business with my mom and sister. I needed something to fill my time beyond the casting business, so my mother and I started teaching evening cooking classes in our family’s kitchen. We’d show food-lovers how to craft an entire meal and then enjoy it together over wine. Sometimes we’d invite friends, producers, and directors, which led to us catering film shoots. 

I enjoyed growing the catering business with my mom too. I appreciated being behind the scenes, and I was really good at it. I was a guest chef for Julia Child once — my idol! Who gets to cook for Julia Child?! And if you’re wondering what I prepared, it was her Duck Confit with an Orange-Balsamic reduction.

I had always loved snapping candid photos and action shots at family functions. People noticed my photos — first my family, and then creatives whose work I admired told me I had a natural talent. I followed this nudge and studied headshot photography in New York City under a premiere headshot photographer. He taught me how to help a person share their true self in front of the camera. 

I had a knack for making people feel at ease, and people spread the word. I grew my photography business on word of mouth alone. Having your photo taken can bring up so many uncomfortable feelings — vulnerability, insecurity, and some big fear. Organically, I found a pattern and approach to sharing my vulnerability with headshot clients, which showed them that they could relax into the experience, and I could capture their inner light. 

We’d wrap up headshot sessions, and clients would tell me, “that felt like therapy!” And of course, their photos were the life proof that they were relaxed and authentic.

After finding more joy and purpose, I want to help other women do the same.

Fourteen years ago, I read somewhere that life coaching was all about working with your client and supporting them in moving forward — this inspired me! So I started training to be a coach. Initially, I didn’t fully own that I was a coach. I was swirling in imposter syndrome. I was trying to get a coaching business started while co-running the casting business with my husband and taking headshots. I thought there was no way I could fast-track my way to coaching — that was the story I told myself anyway.

It turns out I needed to be cracked open to figure out who I was, what I could offer the world, and what I wanted my life to really look like. And I worked tirelessly with my mentor coach to find the coaching confidence I needed. 

Later, I’d connect all the dots. In the casting business, I was immersed in an industry completely concentrated on looks. Then I was behind the scenes in the catering business — crafting food that was a work of art, like a wizard behind a curtain. And then, in photography, I’m behind the scenes, helping clients shine in front of the lens. 

Today, I’m a life coach.

And as a life coach, I get to be behind the scenes of supporting clients through change. It’s as if I’m behind the camera or in the kitchen, crafting a masterpiece. And that masterpiece is my clients. 

While the lights of my life are my two teenage boys and husband, I love the personal development I’m privileged to witness as a life coach. Studying, connection, community, adventure, and growth are essential life elements and creative fuel for me. 

I believe the right coach can change lives. 

I do this work because I’ve always been a seeker and have seen life from a different lens than most. This allows me to be vulnerable, connect deeply, and really witness and hear people. I also have a strong network of women with whom I love to connect with and build communities. 

Nothing lights me up more than seeing women go after what they want — and thriving in the process. I’m honored that I get to do this work and it makes my heart swell knowing I’m offering women a safe place to explore and that I get to be their cheerleader.

Looking back, it’s fascinating to see how I ended up here. I’m beyond grateful for the communities of women I’ve found and nourished, amazing friends, and incredibly loving and supportive family.

Every woman deserves to find more happiness. 

Get in touch, and we’ll talk about where you are in your transition and how I can help you shine.

Helping women find themselves and their community is a huge part of why I do this work. I invite you to start exploring where you can find happiness in the middle of the perceived mess.

Send me an email at betsygoodhue@betsygoodhue.com. We’ll schedule a time to connect and discuss how I can support you during this season of change.