I met my coach one year into the pandemic, as I finished my graduate studies in a country other than my hometown and with a lot of uncertainty about my future career and personal plans. By then, I had made the decision to try my luck in this new country even though I had limited professional networks, a different working language and was not sure that I could continue the career path I had started before my graduate degree. Because I had put a 2-year pause on my career and discovered new interests in the process, I was unable to find a common thread uniting my past and future experiences and I was sure I could no longer tell my own story.

Upon embarking on the coaching journey with my coach, I started to have more agency over my own process, and reflect on the hows and whys of my decisions. My material reality did not change, it was my mindset and appreciation of myself and those around me that changed. And then not only one but two dream jobs manifested, I was invited to become an advisor of an international organization for youth political participation and I grew deeper into the feeling that I belong where my mind and heart are at peace. I recognized myself, my drive, my passions once again.

My coach has been key in my personal and professional transition. From the first moment, when she told me that we would work holistically and that I could bring any practical problem into the conversation, she laid a solid ground of trust and empathy that allowed me to trust her, myself and the process. She is an incredible professional because she brings her full self to every moment of the coaching process and enables you to do the same. Her approach and tools are targeted to every client and carefully brought into the process. In my case, for example, she knew when to bring certain exercises such as breathing techniques to enable relaxation during sessions where I was not even aware of my stress levels. And she offered to bring a third person to whom I could present my elevator pitch, which we had previously worked on. That pitch and the mindset that Maria has patiently and lovingly helped me nurture landed me my current job.

If you are reading this is because you want to invest in your personal and professional growth and you want to identify the correct partner for that extremely important process. I would undoubtedly recommend Maria as that coach and partner.