Today we’d like to introduce you to Onnie Michalsky

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?

After being a stay-at-home mom for over 14 years, there came a time when I was itching to get back into a career beyond the home. In 2017, I decided to pursue a state licensure in counseling, as I had a Masters in Art degree in Mental Health Counseling already under my belt. In a matter of one week, I went from being the primary parent taking care of six children to a full-time working outside-of-the-home mother. It was a huge transition for my family and quite messy as we navigated dinners, transportation issues, and childcare. For two years, I worked for our community mental health center until 2019, when I made the decision to start my own practice.

Meanwhile, over the years I had become a Zumba instructor then eventually a Group Fitness instructor and a Certified Health Coach through American Council on Exercise. When I decided to start my own business, I wanted to use my unique skills and education to create something that reflected me but I wasn’t sure how to go about it. I hired my first business coach and delved into the world of on-line coaching. I felt like a whole new world had opened up to me.

Through the past five years, I dabbled in course creation, memberships, physical and digital products, podcasting, and social media. Moms Without Capes was born within the first year of business ownership as a way to serve moms who struggle with a lost sense of identity. Through my company, I use my own struggle with supermom syndrome and my knowledge and expertise around mental health to help women reclaim their sense of self.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?

It has not always been a smooth road, that’s for sure. I had no idea what I was doing, and I think it is safe to say that I am learning something new every day- about running a business, myself, and my clients. There have been many launches that didn’t go as planned, workshops, webinars, and events where no one showed up after I poured hours into preparing for them. Clients who decided that they weren’t interested in working with me afterall, technology problems, and craziness that arose in my personal life which meant I had to pivot and even cancel sessions and events. When starting my business, I did not expect smooth roads, which in my opinion, helped me to enjoy the journey.

We’ve been impressed with Moms Without Capes, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

Moms Without Capes is all about fun and helping moms recognize that they are allowed to have fun too! Too often, mothers fall into the role of project-manager, in charge of making sure everyone is on task and following the rules. They get so wrapped up in making sure everyone else is happy and taken care of that their own happiness falls by the wayside. Through my company, Moms Without Capes, I help mothers get themselves off the back burner and rediscover what lights them up. I am a licensed therapist in the state of Montana, as well as a recovering supermom of six kids, who knows what it’s like to feel guilt about doing anything that doesn’t directly revolve around family. Through my own journey and education, I learned how to reframe my thoughts around motherhood and self-care so that I can engage in activities that make me feel like a whole person rather than my family’s maid, chauffeur, and personal chef. Setting boundaries, practicing self-compassion, challenging societal expectations, and carving out space for yourself are all part of what we work towards in my work with clients.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?

Wow- now this is a hard question to answer! It’s been a few years since I made happiness my target because it’s fleeting but I can share with you what inspires moments of joy for me- hearing my kids laugh, seeing them do something cool or simply enjoying one another’s company, reuniting with family and friends back in Pennsylvania, vacations to warm places, being at the beach and feeling and smelling the saltiness of the air, eating most and any type of seafood, stepping on the scale and realizing that I lost some weight, finishing a workout, especially if it made me sweat or breathe harder than usual, witnessing a breakthrough for one of my clients, reading a really good book that I don’t want to put down, a productive conversation with my husband, getting through a song on the keyboard without a single mistake, hanging out with friends, and dancing.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.momswithoutcapes.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/momswithoutcapes
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/momswithoutcapes
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@momswithoutcapes

Image Credits

Onnie Michalsky