About Me
Hi, I’m Marelda.
Like you, I’ve experienced multiple losses, the hardest one being my mom’s sudden passing in 1999. Looking back, my dad and I had two completely different experiences with grief, and those differences show why grief wellness work is so important to me.
I was in massage school—getting 2-3 massages per week—surrounded by a loving network of friends. Sure, I went through my own period of mourning. But I had the space to process my grief around people who were supportive and affirming of my experience. This worked wonders for my heart and soul.
My dad, on the other hand, like most people, plunged into despair. He had never imagined life without my mom, and the shock took a toll on his health. He suffered from blood sugar imbalances, heart issues and brain fog. He also spoke of unbearable pain in his body. Living in India, my father had access to Ayurveda (ancient Indian medicine), but he was too caught up in shock and poor health to notice what was available until he was coaxed into it. One day at a time, my dad gradually began to follow the Ayurvedic principles of wellness, which include care of the body, mind and spirit, and found normalcy in his life. His health also stabilized.
Between my personal experience with grief and the grief I have witnessed others carrying, it has become crystal clear to me that we must address grief for the whole person from the inside out—but there are few options for education and support.
My journey convinced me that a body that is well-prepared for any level of loss suffers less and has a better opportunity for mourning and self-reconciliation. I also found that since my cup was filled, I could support my dad without feeling resentful. I’ve now made it my mission to share my key learnings to change the way we work through the heaviest, most painful times in our lives.
The human experience of life includes some difficult losses and periods of high stress. However, pervasive cultural taboos around death and the unpredictable nature of grief are both big reasons why we don’t talk about loss in any of its forms or what a healthy mourning process looks like. I believe you deserve the knowledge, tools and interpersonal connection you need to care for your whole self, physically, mentally and emotionally.
As a lifelong learner and educator, my purpose is to teach others the life-changing skill of separating suffering from mourning and be a supportive witness. Grief grips us unexpectedly and causes sudden changes in our body, mind and spirit.
Through grief wellness coaching and massage, I help you feel less fearful of difficult emotions and remind you that it’s okay to take the mourning process at your own pace, but guide you to keep moving forward for your own wellbeing. I listen so you feel heard, and when you decide to heal and choose to work with me, you’ll find that I do understand your pain.
The secret is that when you know better, you can do better. I believe this with my whole heart and being. I’ve seen the results in my life and those of my clients.
Qualifications
- Author, Thriving Authentically: Own Your Personal Power And Make Life Happen
- Certified Sleep Science Coach – Spencer Institute
- Functional Medicine Certified Health Coach – Functional Medicine Coaching Academy
- Integrative Nutrition Health Coach – Institute of Integrative Nutrition
- Wellcoaches Training Program – Wellcoaches School of Coaching
- Massage Therapy – New York College of Health Professions
- Massage Therapy – Rising Spirit Insitute of Natural Health
- Master of Science – Career & Human Resources Development (including NLP training) – Rochester Institute of Technology
- Bachelor of Science – Hotel and Resort Management (including Food Production and Foodservice Operations) – Rochester Institute of Technology
- Extensive experience in Corporate HR experience in coaching, consulting, training, planning and strategizing, and in the wellness industry in massage therapy, massage education, spa consulting, and spa therapies.
Ready to start?
my mission
My mission is to empathically support, educate and empower those struggling with loss using grief wellness skills and tools; to ease suffering, facilitate mourning and reconciliation and create a ripple effect for healing families and communities worldwide.
