How did I come to this work?

For 10 years, I worked professionally as a singer/dancer — a dream career of mine. I was traveling the world, headlining major production shows, making new friends, and making my living on stage. I had made it. Dream come true, right?

Well, it would have been perfect — but behind the scenes, things weren’t so great. I had a complicated relationship with my self-worth. I struggled with alcohol, men, junk food, and ego. Pair that with the culture of the entertainment industry – and you could say I was treading water in a stormy sea. After a series of toxic relationships, health scares, and nights I hardly remember – I finally hit rock bottom.

Hi, I’m Maria and I’m a survivor of sexual assault.

My heart was broken, I felt betrayed by my own body, and on top of it all, I lost my dream job – all at once. I was having horrible nightmares, insomnia, night-sweats, crying spells, and lashing out or trembling for what seemed like no reason at all. I simply couldn’t focus on anything other than all that I had lost in the process.

“I carried this shame around with me for years.”

I tried sweating it out in countless fitness classes, detoxing the pain with expensive green juice, and doing anything I could to ‘crowd out’ the trauma in my body by adding all of the trendy wellness vibes into my life instead.

I carried this shame around with me for years. What I didn’t realize was that residue of my trauma was stored energetically in my body and my nervous system was ‘stuck’ in ‘fight or flight’ mode. No green juice could wash that away yet going to my body was the only thing that made sense to me. At last, I aligned with an embodied approach to recovery including yoga and somatic experiencing (to name a few). This is where I have found the most profound relief and this is exactly what I share with my clients today.

#MeToo In The Media

Movements like #metoo have challenged society to collectively reflect on past behavior and thankfully, we’re finally seeing a shift in perspective (and in the judicial system). This can be a conflicting time for women, as we triumph in the progress made but also find ourselves uncomfortably triggered by the media. I know how hard it was for me to go through this experience (both personally and legally), and so I’ve made it my mission to support and advocate for all people who resonate with the #metoomovement.

Interested in sharing your story with me? I’d be honored to share my curated approach to healing, empowerment, advocacy, and revived resiliency.

Book a discovery call today.