Becky Kennedy

Rebecca Kennedy is an American clinical psychologist who is founder and chief executive officer of the Good Inside company, an online parenting advice service. She has been called the "millennial parent whisperer" by Time magazine. Her book Good Inside was a number one New York Times bestseller.

Early life and education

Kennedy grew up in Scarsdale, New York, to a mother who was a social worker and a father who was a commodities trader. She attributes her experience as a "people pleaser" growing up and anorexia as a teenager with having inspired her to become a psychologist. It is a privately held company that operates as a member-subscription service providing varying modes of parenting advice to over one million people across the world, of which some 94% are mothers. Kennedy is opposed to "cry it out" sleep training unless it is unavoidable. The psychological theories underpinning Good Inside include attachment theory, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and Internal Family Systems Model. Kennedy has popularized, developed, or repurposed psychological concepts, including "Deeply Feeling Kids (DFKs)" (which has been trademarked), dysregulation, and reparenting. Good Inside Chatbot is powered by generative artificial intelligence.

The Financial Times accused Kennedy of being an "expert profiting from today's desperate parents" in "the confluence of social media and for-profit parenting advice". The article suggested that rising anxiety among middle-class mothers explained the popularity of Good Inside. In The Guardian, Kennedy has been described as seizing a movement already in motion, providing millennial parents with the means to access mainstream psychology. The Week acknowledged criticisms of the gentle parenting approach but believes Good Inside offers "support and reinforcement" to millennial parents attempting to be emotionally-mindful parents.

Kennedy maintains a private practice in New York and is on the paid speaking circuit.

Personal life

Kennedy is married to Colin Kennedy, who works in financial technology. They have three children and live on the Upper West Side.