Tara Goodwin, M.A.

I was born and raised in Billings, Montana, where I developed a love for snow and water skiing, golf, and exploring the stunning Treasure State. After earning my teaching degree, I started my teaching career in sunny Southern California. It was there that I met my husband, Zach, and we started our family with the birth of our first daughter. While pregnant with our second, we made the decision to move back to Billings to be closer to family, and soon welcomed our two sons, completing our family of six. Though I had experienced other losses in my life, nothing prepared me for the sudden passing of my husband of nearly 20 years. I found myself navigating the complexities of raising our children– then ages 12, 13, 14, and 17—on my own. At a loss for how to support myself or my children through this life-altering grief, a friend referred me to Kira at Aspen’s Angels. Working through an action-based, powerful, directed approach to healing from life’s deepest heartbreaks has taught me a lot of valuable skills which were truly transformative. After just our second session, I realized how life-changing this work would be—not just for me, but for my children and all of my relationships, both now and in the future. It was through this process that I learned the program’s definition of grief: “the normal and natural reaction to change or loss of any kind” and “the conflicting feelings caused by the end of, or change in a familiar pattern of behavior.” This resonated deeply, as my family and I were navigating those very changes. I am passionate about partnering with individuals and groups to not only cope with loss but also heal from it, by using the tools and strategies that have had a profound impact on my own journey. Loss comes in many forms—death, divorce, loss of a pet, health challenges, loss of safety or trust, career changes, life transitions, and even childhood traumas. Grief is cumulative, and until it is healed, our past continues to affect our present. A question I frequently hear is, "Will this work for me, and when is the right time?" My response is, "Are you feeling tired, stuck, or like things just aren’t quite working? If so, you're ready when you're ready, and if you're searching for answers, it's likely the right time." It is a privilege for me to accompany others on their life journey, offering support through both 1:1 sessions and group sessions, available in person or via Zoom. ************************ I also lead GRM groups in the Montana Women's prison. This is one of the participants testimonials: I have been incarcerated for over 10 years and have taken every class offered as well as completed a 9 month intensive treatment program. In the 8 weeks of grief class, I learned and worked through more of my issues than everything else put together. The class motivated and taught me how to continue to work through my grief and loss as well as giving me realistic tools to use throughout all of my future experiences. It is the only class I have ever felt safe enough to share and where I have developed a connection and respect for my instructor. This class should be mandated for any adult, incarcerated or not. I am certainly grateful that I was able to take it. For more information about Tara, or to schedule an appointment, click on the contact specialist button to the left.