Heidi Ashbaugh is one of the coaches that we found this month and we did a little interview with her. She impressed us with her creativity and focus.

She was an Emergency Medicine Physician and Medical Director during the chaos of the pandemic and she experienced firsthand the burnout, grief, and uncertainty that so many people were facing. Feeling disconnected from her priorities and overwhelmed by the demands of her role, she turned to coaching for support.

She didn’t know that this pivotal decision will be the catalyst for the start of her own coaching career. Working with a coach led her to step away from her administrative duties and explore her true passions, ultimately becoming a certified life coach with a focus on empowering working mothers. Blending her medical background with coaching expertise, she created a unique approach that offers practical, evidence based solutions for those struggling to balance work, life, and self care.

She is dedicated to guiding working moms toward lives of greater ease, calm, and purpose. Through her innovative ALIGN Method, she helps clients achieve clarity, build sustainable routines, and make intentional changes that lead to profound personal transformations. Whether working One on One or in group settings, her coaching is rooted in empathy, insight, and a deep love for continuous growth. Here is what she said..

Meet Life Coach Heidi Ashbaugh:

Name: Heidi Ashbaugh

Pillar: The Mind

Who is this coach for: Working moms who are trying to stay afloat and do it all but need a better work and life integration so they can live their best life with ease, calm, clarity, and freedom.

How they can help: By using her own innovative ALIGN Method.

First of all, how are you and your family doing after these Pandemic times?

The pandemic was rough for many personal and professional reasons.

There was a tremendous amount of loss during that time, but I can also look back and see such a tremendous amount of growth.

Ultimately, this challenging period became a catalyst for profound change in my professional path.

How did the coronavirus pandemic affect your clients? Did it affect you at all?

While I wasn’t coaching during the early pandemic, my experience as an ED physician gave me unique insight into how crisis affects decision making and personal priorities.

I saw how the pandemic prompted many to question their life choices and work life balance, themes that now deeply inform my coaching practice.

What are the biggest lessons that you learned in this pandemic?

The first was the need to take care of myself.

The old adage “you can’t pour from an empty cup” became very clear.

I started to really look inward about what I needed in order to care for myself, for my own joy, so that I could continue to care for others (patients, kids and family).

It allowed me to establish much better boundaries and start to prioritize my own needs and wants.

The second became quite important and foundational in my coaching practice: the power of No.

I learned that by getting clear on what I didn’t want, allowed me to start seeing what my Yes was…

The third circles me back to serenity prayer, not just for the pandemic but for life in general.

“Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.” It continues to be something that I routinely remind myself of.

The Origin:

Tell us about you, your career, how you started with your coaching career?

This links directly back to question #1.

I am an Emergency Medicine Physician, and at the time, I was the Medical Director for a large Emergency Department with two children under age three when the pandemic hit.

The role was taxing for many reasons, and I often felt at odds with the medical system and the business of medicine.

I felt like I was making incremental progress when the pandemic hit and stopped the world as we knew it.

There was tremendous uncertainty and fear surrounding something that was largely out of our control.

Unfortunately, there was also a growing sense of mistrust in the medical community.

The fallout from that, both professionally and personally, was incredibly disheartening.

We saw a lot of suffering and death that was likely preventable.

Fast forward to the end of the first year of the pandemic, I was burned out and started working with a coach.

Looking back, this was such a pivotal moment for me.

I saw the path I had been on and realized it wasn’t one I wanted to continue.

I needed to refocus on my priorities and bring back some joy in my life.

I stepped away from my administrative role and spent time (RE)examining what I wanted for my life.

I reflected on where I wanted to dedicate my time and energy so that I could feel like I was making a difference.

After working with a coach, I went on to become a certified Life Coach and started my own business.

Over time, I felt a strong pull to coach working moms.

I love the transformation clients experience when they allow themselves a moment to step back, (RE)evaluate, and then move forward with intention.

So often, working moms are trying to stay afloat and do it all.

I realized that by stepping back and carving out time and energy for ourselves, we can move forward with much more ease, calm, clarity, and freedom.

This transformation in my own life now clearly shapes how I serve my coaching clients.

What was your biggest obstacle that you had to overcome in your life that made you who you are today?

Oof! This is a tough one.

One thing that working in an Emergency Department has taught me is the futility of comparative suffering.

Grief and sorrow come in many different forms, and sometimes obstacles become our biggest teaching moments.

As a medical student, I went to Haiti one week after the 2010 earthquake that devastated much of the island.

I was put in charge of arranging medevacs for the sickest patients who needed care outside the country.

Back in the States, I’ve been part of teams caring for patients in horrible accidents.

I have treated victims of gang and gun violence.

I have cared for patients suffering from preventable diseases.

I’ve also been present in end of life moments, holding patients’ hands as they took their last breaths.

I have had the privilege of caring for patients in their most vulnerable moments.

I have also had to tell parents, siblings, children, and other loved ones that despite doing everything we could, it still wasn’t enough.

Personally, I have experienced periods of anxiety and depression, particularly in the postpartum period.

These experiences have shaped who I am today as a physician, coach, mom, and wife.

The Coaching Style:

How do you innovate with coaching your clients?

My coaching innovation comes from blending my medical background with evidence based coaching techniques.

I offer multiple engagement formats to meet clients’ needs.

1. One on one deep dive sessions that combine strategic planning with emotional support.
2. Small group coaching that fosters community while maintaining personalized attention.
3. A growing library of practical resources and tools that clients can access between sessions.

What makes my approach unique is how I integrate my emergency medicine experience (where quick, effective decisions are crucial) with long term strategic planning for sustainable life changes.

I continuously update my materials based on client feedback and emerging research in work and life integration, stress management, and high performance habits.

What’s unique about your coaching approach?

I love to combine tools and frameworks that are practical, logical, and useful.

I blend my logical left brain with my creative right brain to offer clients insight, empathy, and a safe space to share and create their dream life.

Whether it’s my medical background or what initially drew me to medicine, I have a deep love of learning and continuous improvement.

This growth mindset now shapes how I help clients transform their lives.

I show them how small, intentional changes can lead to profound results.

What benefits do your clients get after working with you?

One of the biggest is clarity.

Getting clear on what you want opens so many doors.

When clients are allowed the time and space to go inward and reflect on what they want, it’s incredible to see what opens up.

They shrug off societal messages or belief systems that no longer serve them.

Do you use any specific tools to be efficient with your clients?

I created The ALIGN Method, a framework that emerged from recognizing patterns in the challenges that working mothers consistently face.

This framework specifically helps working moms:

1. Break free from calendar chaos.
2. Make decisions with confidence.
3. Create sustainable routines.
4. Find time for what matters most.
5. Feel accomplished AND present.

The 5 Steps in the ALIGN Method are:

A – Audit your time. Review and analyze how you currently spend your time.

L – Learn your energy code. Understand your natural energy patterns and peak performance times.

I – Integrate what you want. Intentionally incorporate your priorities and values.

G – Guide your ideal week. Design a schedule that aligns with your goals and energy.

N – Navigate sustainable success. Implement and adjust your plan for long term results.

The Impact:

If you had a super megaphone that, when you speak into, the whole world will hear your message, what would you say?

Moms: you are powerful. You deserve to protect your time and energy!

Your worth isn’t measured by your productivity.

It’s not only just okay to prioritize your wellbeing, it’s essential.

Small changes can create profound transformations.

The juggle doesn’t have to be a struggle.

Your dreams matter.

You can rewrite the rules of what ‘having it all’ means to you.

What is the greatest lesson you have learned in your life?

Life is short (sometimes unexpectedly so) and in the grand scheme of things, we are a small piece of the universe, but I hope in some small way, I can make a positive difference.

And because life is short, I also realize it’s important to live your life for yourself and infuse as much joy, fun, and happiness as possible.

Your final thoughts?

As a coach for working moms, I’ve noticed a concerning trend: brilliant, capable women are burning out trying to manage it all.

They’re executives, doctors, team leaders, and experts in their fields… yet their own time feels completely out of control.

And the real problem isn’t time management.

It’s trying to fit an impossible amount of “shoulds” into limited hours while neglecting what truly matters to them.

This is why I became a coach and why I developed The ALIGN Method.

Because the solution isn’t about doing more or squeezing more into your day.

It’s about intentionally designing a schedule that honors all your roles, the season of life you are in, and perhaps most importantly, includes YOU.

Where Can You Find Heidi Ashbaugh?

If you liked this interview and if you would love to see how Coach Heidi can help you as a working mom to gain clarity and ALIGN with living your best life, schedule a FREE consultation call with her here. You can also go to empoweredcoachingha.com and learn more about her.

If you’d like to peak a glimpse into her coaching, follow her Facebook and Instagram accounts.

And if you’d like to connect with her more personally, you can do that through LinkedIn or by sending her a direct message on her Email coachheidi@empoweredcoachingha.com. It was an honor having this interview with her.