Coaching

Rev. Marie Berbick Bailey’s Approach to Coaching Women Through Trauma

May 3, 2025

Queens-based Pastor and Life Coach Rev. Marie Berbick Bailey is more than a pastor—she is a movement, a force of resilience, and a living example of how challenges can reshape and strengthen a person.

The Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awardee has navigated significant personal struggles and now serves as a source of inspiration, guiding women worldwide to address obstacles that may hinder their success.

Known as The People’s Pastor, Rev. Berbick Bailey has channeled her personal battles into a narrative of resilience and created a global platform to support those facing life’s difficulties.

In a landscape where many women face life-altering challenges, stories of transformation can be rare. Rev. Marie Berbick offers guidance for women navigating stormy personal and professional waters. Her journey—from corporate Jamaica to an esteemed pastor, transformational speaker, and life coach in America—illustrates the power of resilience. Recently named a recipient of the 2025 U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Berbick’s recognition highlights her contributions to women’s empowerment worldwide.

Marie’s story isn’t one of overnight success but of gradual, meaningful transformation. Raised in Jamaica, she built her career in public relations, mastering communication skills that would later play a key role in her work. But life presented unexpected trials. A difficult divorce and custody battle left her struggling, questioning everything. Yet in this challenging time, she found her calling.

“That breaking point wasn’t my ending—it was my beginning,” Marie Berbick often shares with her clients. The emotional struggles of her marriage became the foundation for her mission to guide others through similar storms.

What makes her approach unique is her perspective on pain: “Beautiful things can come from messy places,” she reflects. “The women I work with are like lotus flowers. They may wade through mud, but they grow through it to bloom magnificently.”

Her coaching philosophy centers on unlocking hidden potential. Rather than offering one-size-fits-all solutions, Marie helps women uncover their own buried strengths. “I don’t give women answers,” she explains. “I help them discover gifts they’ve always had, renew passion they’ve forgotten, and pursue the mission they were born for.”

The impact of her work has been noted by many. Dr. Yana Johnson, a professional who experienced Marie’s guidance, shares: “She unlocks what’s locked up inside you!” Women often leave Marie’s programs with not just renewed confidence but a new perspective on what’s possible for their lives.

In 2020, Marie expanded her reach by founding Marie Berbick Ministries International (MBMI). What started as a modest online platform has grown into a community of nearly 100,000 followers across social media channels. As “The People’s Pastor,” she combines mentorship, coaching, and spiritual guidance into a holistic approach to empowerment.

The Presidential Award represents a significant milestone for Marie’s mission. This prestigious honor acknowledges not just her personal journey but the positive influence she’s had on countless women’s lives. When discussing the award, Marie remains humble: “This recognition isn’t about me—it’s about every woman who’s ever felt broken and found the courage to rebuild.”

What sets Marie apart is her focus on community. Where traditional coaching often emphasizes individual achievement, she fosters networks of support among her mentees. “No woman is meant to transform in isolation,” she suggests. “We rise together or not at all.”

Her impact is reflected in the stories of those she’s worked with. One client, a former corporate executive who had lost her sense of purpose after a career setback, recalls: “Marie didn’t just help me recover—she helped me discover a version of myself I never knew existed.”

As Marie Berbick prepares to welcome a new cohort of mentees, her vision remains clear. She shares a piece of wisdom that has become a guiding principle among her followers: “For all you’ve been through, when you go down in the valley, don’t come back empty-handed.” This philosophy—that adversity can lead to growth—forms the cornerstone of her teaching.

Her coaching style blends spiritual guidance with practical tools, creating a balanced approach that addresses both inner healing and outer success. “Transformation isn’t just about feeling better,” she explains. “It’s about doing better, living better, and ultimately, helping others do the same.”

What makes Marie’s story especially compelling is that she never positions herself as having “arrived.” Despite her accolades, she speaks openly about her ongoing journey. “I’m still growing, still learning, still overcoming,” she admits. “That’s what makes me relatable—I’m walking the path alongside my clients, not lecturing from some distant summit.”

For women considering their own transformation journeys, Marie offers this advice: “Start where you are, with what you have. Your breakthrough isn’t waiting for perfect circumstances—it’s waiting for your decision to begin.”

Marie’s journey from a painful divorce to Presidential Award winner isn’t just inspiring—it’s a testament to perseverance. It shows that our deepest wounds can sometimes reveal our most powerful gifts. Her story reminds us that transformation isn’t a destination but a continuous process of growth and renewal.

As Marie Berbick often tells her clients with a knowing smile, “Your greatest setback could be the setup for your most magnificent comeback.”

For those seeking their own path to empowerment, Marie’s example offers both hope and practical guidance. To learn more about her coaching programs or ministry, visit www.marieberbickcoach.com or www.marieberbick.com and explore how you might grow in your own unique way, no matter the challenges you’ve faced.