MANILA, Philippines — Judy Ann Santos is opening up about a personal practice that has helped her navigate the demands of being an actress, wife, mother, entrepreneur and daughter: working with a life coach.
For the veteran actress, having a life coach does not mean something is necessarily wrong.
Instead, Santos says she values having someone who can listen without judgment, challenge her perspective and help her see her decisions more clearly.
“Hindi naman kasi kailangan na may pinagdadaanan,” Santos said during the “Moment to Moment with Coach Pia” event at Casa Buenas at Newport. Sometimes, she explained, people simply need someone to talk to and provide a different perspective.
Judy Ann Santos Says She Needed a Safe Space
Santos has worked with veteran life coach Pia Acevedo, whom she first met years ago while working on an ABS-CBN reality show for couples.
The two reconnected in 2018, and Santos eventually turned to Acevedo for life coaching because of the trust and familiarity they had already developed.
For Santos, that relationship created a space where she could discuss personal decisions without worrying about being judged.
She said she needed someone she could talk to about her own thoughts—not simply about her career, family or other people.
That distinction became particularly important as she balanced multiple responsibilities.
‘At the End of the Day, Ikaw Pa Rin Naman’
Santos also stressed that having a life coach does not mean surrendering control over personal decisions.
Rather, she sees the coach as someone who can help provide guidance and a clearer perspective.
The final decision, she emphasized, remains with the individual.
Her comments echo what she and fellow celebrities Jodi Sta. Maria and Marvin Agustin discussed in an earlier PEP.ph feature about life coaching and personal well-being. The three shared experiences with Acevedo and discussed the importance of making room for oneself while caring for other people.
Why Self-Care Became a Major Lesson for Juday
One of Santos’ biggest realizations has been that constantly putting family and responsibilities ahead of herself can leave little room for her own needs.
She described how being busy as a mother, actress, businesswoman, wife and daughter could make it easy to forget to check in with herself.
Her life coach became a reminder to do exactly that.
Santos recalled one piece of advice that particularly stayed with her: a person cannot keep giving when their own resources are already running low.
She compared it to sharing water: if the pitcher is nearly empty, there is little left to give others. But if it is overflowing, there is enough to share.
For Santos, the lesson became a reminder that caring for herself can also help her continue caring for the people around her.
Life Coaching Is Still Misunderstood
Santos acknowledged that life coaching can still be misunderstood in the Philippines.
She pointed out that people sometimes immediately assume that someone seeking a coach must be experiencing a serious personal problem.
She wants to separate that assumption from her own experience.
For her, coaching is about gaining perspective, reflecting on decisions and having a trusted person who can listen.
Her comments also distinguish life coaching from clinical mental-health care. A life coach is not automatically a substitute for a psychologist or psychiatrist, particularly when someone is dealing with a mental-health condition that requires professional clinical assessment or treatment.
A Busy Career Beyond Acting
Santos’ comments come as she continues to juggle several professional roles.
She remains one of the Philippines’ best-known actresses and has also developed interests outside acting, including culinary work. In January 2025, she graduated from the Center for Asian Culinary Studies with Double Gold honors in Culinary Arts and Pastry Arts after pursuing culinary studies over many years.
In 2026, she also took on a lead role in HBO Max’s Filipino adaptation of Call My Manager, playing a talent manager alongside Edu Manzano and RK Bagatsing.
Her expanding responsibilities help explain why the idea of having a trusted person who can provide perspective has become meaningful to her.
‘Choosing Yourself’ Without Abandoning Others
Ultimately, Santos’ message is less about having a life coach and more about recognizing the importance of self-awareness.
Her experience suggests that caring for family and pursuing professional responsibilities does not necessarily require completely neglecting one’s own needs.
For Santos, taking time to reflect, talk openly and understand what she needs has become another part of maintaining balance.
And perhaps her most important takeaway is simple: asking for perspective does not mean giving someone else control over your life.
It can simply mean giving yourself enough space to make your own decisions with a clearer view.
