Meet Paige Godschalk

We were lucky to catch up with Paige Godschalk recently and have shared our conversation below.

Paige, sincerely appreciate your selflessness in agreeing to discuss your mental health journey and how you overcame and persisted despite the challenges. Please share with our readers how you overcame. For readers, please note this is not medical advice, we are not doctors, you should always consult professionals for advice and that this is merely one person sharing their story and experience.

Overcoming and persisting through the challenges of mental health has been one of the most transformative parts of my journey. I was diagnosed with Bipolar 1 at 32, and for a while, it felt like my world had flipped upside down. But in that unraveling, I discovered a strength I never knew I had.

Persistence didn’t always look pretty — sometimes it was getting out of bed when everything felt heavy. Other times, it was asking for help, being honest about what I was experiencing, or simply taking things one breath at a time. Therapy, medication, a solid support system, and my career behind the chair became lifelines.

As a hairstylist, I’ve made it my mission to create a safe space where others can feel seen and heard — because I know what it’s like to need that space myself. What once felt like a breakdown became the foundation for a deeper kind of resilience and empathy. I don’t see my diagnosis as a weakness anymore. It’s part of my story — not the end of it.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

At @hair_by_p, my vision is to grow beyond the traditional idea of a salon experience. I want to create a soft space behind the chair — a place where beauty and healing meet. It’s not just about hair; it’s about holding space for people to feel safe, seen, and celebrated in whatever season of life they’re in.

Through my own mental health journey, I’ve come to understand how powerful it is to have a moment of pause, connection, and confidence — and I want to offer that in every appointment. Whether someone’s walking through something heavy or just needs a little self-care, I believe the beauty industry has the potential to be transformative in more ways than one.

@hair_by_p is growing into a brand that doesn’t just style the outside — it honors the whole person. My goal is to help clients leave my chair feeling lighter, empowered, and more connected to themselves — because beauty and life are both meant to be lived in full expression.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

I would say these three areas have led my journey— self-awareness, safe relationships, and compassionate communication. To me they form the soil where resilience, softness, and true growth can take root.

And growth starts with permission — the permission to be honest with yourself. We’re often taught to push through and keep the messy parts hidden, but real change begins when we ask, “What do I need?” instead of “How should I be?”

We can help others learn this too by normalizing mental health conversations in everyday spaces — salons, coffee shops, friend circles. We don’t need perfect answers, just a willingness to show up with compassion, sit with discomfort, and listen openly.

It also matters who we surround ourselves with. Whether it’s a mentor, therapist, or a friend who holds space without trying to fix us — those early influences shape us. When others lead with vulnerability and empathy, we learn we can too.

In the beginning, it’s not about having it all figured out. It’s about staying soft and self-aware in a world that tells us to toughen up. That’s where true resilience starts.

What’s been one of your main areas of growth this year?

The past 12 months have been some of the most transformative of my life. Learning to live with Bipolar 1 has taught me the importance of self-awareness — not just in managing my mental health, but in learning how to meet myself with compassion instead of shame. Giving me a new outlook where my BPD is no longer my identity but I am to identify it. Salon life, for me, has become more than just work — it’s been a kind of therapy. There’s something powerful about everyday spaces where real conversations happen, where people feel seen without needing to be perfect. Add to that the heartbreak I’ve moved through this year, and I’ve learned that healing isn’t always neat, but it is possible when you stay soft, stay honest, and allow yourself to be supported. My growth hasn’t come from having everything figured out — it’s come from choosing curiosity over judgment, again and again.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: @hair_by_p
• Other: Email: [email protected]