Barb Goldberg, Certified Coach, M.B.A.
I always loved fairy tales, but never thought I would be cast in one. The biggest surprise is that I’ve been at it for 30 years. Yes. 30 years!
How did I get myself here? I asked myself that question on multiple occasions. It is weird to feel persecuted when all you ever wanted to do is love and support. After my first marriage left me as a single mom to my son, I remarried and became the stepmother to three children. I learned that the fairy tale was alive and well. The world looked at me differently. Second wife. Mistress? Hater of children. Hater of the ex. Less than. Now, I was part of a class of people who were demeaned and no one seemed to care.
I decided then and there that I wanted to do something about it. I studied with Dr. Martha Beck and became a certified life coach who specializes in stepfamilies. With degrees in education and a masters in business, I saw how these skill sets could easily be applied to my stepmom toolbox. I want to share these best practices with other stepmoms so that they do not have to suffer one more moment. I created the website The Evil Stepmother Speaks, a favorite among stepmothers. You can find our facebook page of the same name, as well as the private facebook page, Stepmom Life Class. My weekly radio show, The Evil Stepmother Speaks, can be found on Apple podcasts. My book, The Evil Stepmother Speaks: A Guide for Stepfamilies Who Want to Love and Laugh, is a re-write of all fairy tales with the stepmother as the hero. It is also a cherished resource for those who have read it. I am a blogger for The Huffington Post and a syndicated blogger for BlogHer. I have been featured on Martha Stewart Radio, The Morning Scramble, CBS Radio and other media outlets talking about all things stepmom.
Most importantly, I can now teach the entire spectrum of step mother skill sets. I’ve been there at the beginning and at the proverbial ‘end’. The kids are grown with families of their own. Ask me anything. I can help!