Testimonials
“When I reached out to Melissa, I wasn’t sure how to tap into my inner wisdom and knowing about things. I felt disconnected from a higher purpose on a day-to-day level, and I knew that I was ready to start growing into a new way of being but didn't know how to get there.
The positive results I’ve experienced since our coaching work together have been so many!! I feel a sense of purpose and connectedness to something greater more often. I feel that I have grown exponentially in my ability to make decisions that used to be very cloudy, confusing, and potentially tormenting. I have frameworks to draw upon for self-compassion and deep inner work.
I feel more connected to myself, my intuition, and the universe.
I have had these moments of alignment, clarity, and deep knowing during our sessions that I am able to tap into when I am not in the session. It is truly a gift. Healing, in fact! It helps me to feel resourced, grounded, and more powerful/empowered to live life in a meaningful way.
I've learned to tap into my intuition/inner wisdom, trust that things are working toward my highest good, and have deep compassion for myself. Because I’ve tended to these deeper levels within myself, I’m now able to support my clients in their self-compassion journey in ways that I didn't even know were possible before!
I have already told many girlfriends about you, and would tell them that if they want to tap into their inner knowing and wisdom in a deeper way, they should work with you. I tell them that Melissa can help them get to the next level of being in tune with themselves.
THANK YOU!!! I can't tell you how grateful I am for your support. I couldn't have gotten to where I am, as fast as I did, without your help.
I had felt like I was at the precipice of something before coaching, and now I feel like I am soaring.”
– Tiffany Chang, Leadership Coach
“When I first called Melissa, I was very ‘successful.’ I had a beautiful family, I had hit a high point in my career, and I was financially secure.
On the inside, things were much harder. I woke up in the middle of the night most nights, ruminating and worrying, and I had trouble being present with my young son. I wasn’t completely sure what I needed, but I knew that I wanted to have less overwhelm, less guilt, and a lot less anxiety in my life.
I wasn’t completely sure if I could get there. I thought maybe that’s just ‘the way I was.’ But during our work together, I learned to:
Let go of the over-achiever, constantly hustling identity
Show myself – and others – a lot more compassion
Admit (mostly to myself) what I really want in my life
Allow myself to hope without attaching myself or my worth to outcomes
Trust my body again, and hear the signals it was giving me
Allow myself to truly feel and embody JOY
So much more!
Today, I had a moment where I realized just how much my life has changed in the last 18 months, how much I have changed in the last 18 months.
I react less; I pause more. I show myself compassion, and a lot less criticism. I soak in joy, and breathe through pain. I make more decisions based on my values, and less decisions based on my ego. I love more deeply, and hold beliefs more loosely.
I am certainly not at the end of this journey (I know there isn’t an end!), but I am a different person, and Melissa was the guide that walked me through that transformation.
She is compassionate, non-judgmental, warm, and endlessly authentic – and she brings out the same in her clients. I am so grateful for our work, and for her as a human.”
– CAROL FABRIZIO, LIFE & LEADERSHIP COACH
“When I signed on for coaching with Melissa, the thing keeping me up at night was my own inner critic voice, telling me I should do more, do better…and I was longing for an intimate relationship.
I felt completely safe and supported to be vulnerable with Melissa right from the start.
I cannot emphasize enough how authentically Melissa shows up for coaching, even from the first minute of our first session. It resonates out of her, and put that together with her powerful intuition, her willingness to call a spade and spade and not shy away from the ‘tough stuff’ in a lovingly supportive way, and you cannot fail to find meaningful and sustainable growth on a cellular level.
My inner critic is just quieter now, which is truly life-changing. My self-trust has increased immensely, as has my ability to listen to my intuition and my body’s wisdom. I am more compassionate with myself, providing peace from my mind chatter and inner critic voice. I feel more joy!
And about 2 months into our Deep Dive, I manifested a wonderful relationship that is still going strong. These things are not coincidence so I am truly thankful to Melissa for helping me unblock that stuck energy and also for being such a wise, supportive partner as I bravely leaned into true, authentic vulnerability – enabling me to experience, perhaps for the first time, true, authentic, intimate connection.
I always looked forward to our coaching sessions and I always felt better afterwards. It was an adventure of fun, playful, curious exploration. I felt supported, cared for, empowered, and always much more clear, with a sense of purpose and a positive direction to channel my energy.
Melissa is a loving, generous, compassionate, and deeply wise teacher.”
– SALLY NILSSON, FREEDOM COACH
“Since our work together, things are generally flowing more for me. I’m more connected to my emotions and able to process them with greater ease and less resistance, even when it’s hard. Shedding some of my sneaky old beliefs and patterns has given me more confidence socially and professionally. My social insecurities all but melted away, which has been really amazing.
I feel a much greater sense of belonging, which is positively impacting all areas of my life and work. I can feel myself living in a different way, with more allowing and less fear. This has led to increased joy, and the need for fewer rules for myself. I have more trust in myself and in how things are unfolding in my life and work. I am also remembering to pause more often, really ‘practicing what I preach’ more and more on the mindfulness front.
I’m living with more awareness and am able to make decisions from a place of alignment and clarity instead of urgency or fear, even in times of stress. I am more relaxed and comfortable in my own skin. I feel more able to give myself permission do things my own way rather than getting sucked into the way other people do things in life and work. I feel more confident in asking for what I need in my marriage, which has brought us both more ease and connection. I also feel more confident in my own coaching skills, having experienced receiving such masterful coaching that was uniquely your own style.
Melissa, you are so gentle and loving, while also incredibly skilled at pointing out the places where I’m stuck and shining a light there. I felt so held by you, and able to open up emotionally in a way that led to true healing and growth.
If a friend was thinking about working with Melissa, I would tell them, ‘You’ll love her and you won’t regret it!’ I would also say, ‘Melissa is intuitive and wise, and both gentle and astute in her observations.
She has this way of compassionately coaxing out what needs to surface so that what needs to be released can be released, and what is ready to flourish can do so. The process is subtle, but all of a sudden you realize you’ve accomplished deep work and are experiencing profound shifts.
Working with Melissa provides an excellent container for synthesizing and accelerating your own unique growth process. You will definitely feel more connected to yourself and more clear about how you want to move through your relationships, your endeavors, and the world after working with Melissa.’
I love you so much and am so grateful to have you on my team!”
– KATE BATHRAS, INTEGRATIVE ENERGY COACH
“Coming into coaching, I was feeling pretty frustrated, annoyed and overwhelmed. I had a lot of what felt like big and pressing decisions to make about paths I wanted to walk personally and professionally, and I both felt unclear about what I wanted and very responsible for managing and sometimes fixing other people’s ‘stuff’ and ‘discomfort’. I felt like I needed to do some inner house cleaning in order to hear my own voice and be able to make these decisions.
Since our work together, I feel much calmer, clearer, and more integrated. I am definitely shouldering less of other people’s discomfort and work, which has resulted in me being more peaceful and less resentful of the world, so that’s a win!
I feel more grounded in myself and what matters to me, and more able to see what I want and don’t want and to go about getting it. I’ve also made plenty of space for artistic and creative endeavors, which I’d been wanting to do for awhile. And I feel much less pressure to figure out my life and more trust that if I just attend to what’s happening now and honor what my intuition tells me I need in every moment, that the net impact will be I’ll end up in the relationships, roles, places, etc. that serve me (and I don’t have to plan and figure them out beforehand).
Everyday I feel more like myself – I feel like the creative part of me, the part that always wanted to be an artist and that loves to make things and think in non-linear ways is much more awake now.
You’ve got a wonderful way of bringing in spiritual practices and holding them right alongside of science. You do a beautiful job of acknowledging and validating…and at the same time, you nudge me forward. Basically, you know your stuff, show up consistently, and do so in a way that both holds and challenges. You’re a wonderful blend of rigor and empathy.
If you want to be held and challenged with humor, love, and pragmatism, Melissa is your woman!
Thank you. My gratitude goes beyond words.”
– ALICE CHEN, COACH & EXPERIENCE DESIGNER
“When I began working with Melissa, I had been building my coaching business for just over a year and noticed that entrepreneurship was stirring up some inner doubt and challenging my self-belief. I'd also been working with various therapists on getting more in touch with my body and somatic cues and I was drawn to Melissa's approach to weaving these layers into a coaching container.
The single biggest thing to come from our work together is the renewed belief and felt sense that I can trust myself.
Working with Melissa allowed me the supportive space and provided me with the expert but gentle guidance to shed many of the fears, doubts, and self-defeating thoughts and feelings that had been holding me back. Our work helped me see myself and the world around me more clearly and made me want to expand into a fuller version of myself. I can also feel the subtle and powerful impacts in the work I now do with my own clients.
After 6 months with Melissa, I know I have the tools and inner resources to navigate the ups and downs ahead of me in life.
I also have a much healthier relationship with my physical body — a surprising added bonus — and have learned to tune into the cues to tell me what I need or want to do, which was previously very hard for me to access. I've been able to practice showing up and feeling into experiences in new ways and then have the space and accountability to reflect on that and grow from it.
I'm feeling confident and looking forward to my life and work in the months and years to come, as I know the good things that have been unlocked within me are only starting to ripple into the long-term effects they will become.”
– ellen johnson, founder & coach
“The self-compassion I feel this morning is profound and also profoundly new. I am feeling so incredibly grounded and joyful this week. Melissa, this spiritual excavation has never been fully brought into the light until now. That is saying a lot because over my years as an adult, I have spent large sums of money, time, and journals(!) on therapy, Debbie Ford retreats, my beautiful coaching, and our Costa Rica retreat.
And now I see all of this has been for the purpose of bringing me to this moment of metamorphosis; literal amazing metamorphosis. I am so very excited to fly upward, both wings intact, reflecting my inner joy and the external sunshine that has been here all along.
I tasted the two-winged flight on our Costa Rica retreat and it was honestly the most free and on fire I have felt almost in my whole life. More, more, more is what now resonates in my heart and soul. Thank you for being with me on this phenomenal journey.
I feel a sense of clarity this morning and deep gratitude for our coaching time together. I want to thank you for your care, amazing listening talents, and the knowledge you share so effortlessly with me along the way. The lightbulbs are coming on with each journaling sentence and I am grateful for your bright coaching light and all that is shining through today.
I am embracing this lightness and this darkness and feeling gratitude and utter ‘bad-ass-ness’! You are a masterful, intuitive, and mindful coach who is just a beautiful light on a sometimes dusty road. Thank you for your brilliance in how you support us caterpillars into braving the ‘soup.’ ”
– LINDA LIEBERT
“Before working with Melissa, I didn’t believe that I could have the life and love I so wanted and was hiding my authentic self from the world. Despite being professionally successful, I had no sense of direction or motivation because I was making choices in my life based on what I believed others thought was best for me. I would wake up every night around 3 am with a feeling of anxiety. I had a million things to do, yet none of them really excited me.
I never wanted to admit that I wasn’t happy, living the life I was living, working a job that didn’t fulfill me, going through the motions. So I always pretended to be happy. Deep down, something told me there was something more I needed to do with my life…more meaning, more purpose. And I didn’t even know where to begin to uncover this. That’s when I called you!
Since working with Melissa, I got a job that provides great work/life balance, I’m more present in my relationships, and I beat myself up a lot less. I’m more willing to be the honest, authentic version of myself without obsessing about what people are going to think. Melissa makes me feel powerful, calm and loved and inspires me to shine. These days, I’m making choices based on my gut instead of fear.
I am more in love with myself than I have ever been and have been using my voice and shining my light in the world. Instead of feeling like a victim of circumstance, I finally feel like the creator of my own life!”
– MARISOL ESPINOZA
“When I started coaching with Melissa, I was in a long-term relationship, professionally successful, and had a wide network of loving, supportive friends and family. Despite fully functioning on the outside, I felt adrift, unhappy, off-balance. I didn’t have a sense of who I was or a sense of purpose. I was extremely self-critical. I often felt overwhelmed and wanted to bury my head in the sand.
Since coaching with Melissa, I feel like a different person. Coaching has brought me more happiness and fulfillment than I ever could have imagined, helping me to uncover the best version of myself.
For the first time, I can see myself and love myself on my own—not as I define myself by the relationships I am in or the work I do or where I’m living. I feel authentically happy, and like that happiness is coming from within. I’m single, but I don’t feel lonely — I feel whole. And at last, I’m not saying that I’ll be happy when…”
– TASMAN RUBEL
“Melissa, what a blessing you’ve been to my life. My experience with you has been most life-changing. I treasure it and you from the bottom of my heart.
I was nervous that the coaching process would force me to face my demons and fears and all the things I was ashamed about or hiding from and that there would be a lot of discomfort and pain.
But since our work together, I’m much kinder to myself and I understand myself better. I’m more expressive. I’m better able to hone in on the Truth of why I’m behaving/feeling/thinking a certain way instead of letting my emotions control me for long periods of time. I trust life a lot more. I’m much more in flow with life these days instead of being too concerned with what I think I ‘should’ do.
I love and understand myself a lot more. Shame and guilt are no longer a big part of my reality.
I’m in a relationship now that is much more fulfilling and healthy and honest. I make time for stillness and quiet and take time to be alone and enjoy being alone much more than I did before. I’m much more intentional and deliberate about my decisions rather than just going through the motions.
I never feel judged by you. I love the fact that, although we’ve never even met in person, I feel like you know me better than most in my life. I love the feeling of safety I have knowing that if and when I ever feel like I’m coming undone, emotionally, you will be there to help me make sense of everything and take back ‘control’ of myself and my life, which then allows me to feel empowered and strong/confident again.
I love how you helped me get to know myself better and, ultimately, really love who I am.”
– LORETTA CHAK, LIFE COACH
“The most positive result I’m seeing/feeling from our work together is undoubtedly an expanded capacity to relate to fear/anxiety and to keep moving forward EVEN WHEN I’M SCARED. While I still don’t love feeling fear and anxiety, in general I am able to be much more compassionate with myself and allow space to feel what I’m feeling without being debilitated by it. As a result, there is movement in my life in areas where I had been spinning my wheels.
There’s less a sense of helplessness and more trust that I can figure things out and do hard stuff.
I’ve always been pretty self-aware, which has been both a blessing and a curse in some ways. In our work together there was a palpable shift in my own self-awareness — a shift away from a deeply conditioned tendency to be self-critical to a more accepting, caring for my own well-being awareness. Of course, this is a work in progress, but the momentum was created in our work together and for that I am truly grateful.
I’m now noticing an abundance of ideas and energy coming from what I would describe as a wellspring of Wonder/curiosity rather than from a place of trying to figure out what is the right thing. I’m flooding with ideas in a good way and have less overwhelm about them.
There’s also so much less mental chatter and worrying about what’s wrong or what I did wrong. I’m noticing less ‘pushing through,’ less cramming things into my day, and less fear about committing to things. There’s more just doing it. I’m feeling light, inspired, self-compassionate, and confident.
Working with you was like a regular, decadent meeting with a friend who knows me and accepts me just exactly as I am. Your style is easy, comfortable, and so engaging. I always felt safe and cared for, even when we were treading in difficult emotional territory. I will truly miss my sessions with you.”
— MARY VEERKAMP, PH.D., CPC – LIFE & AUTHENTICITY COACH
“Everything – absolutely everything! – is different in my life since working with Melissa.
I honestly cannot believe this myself, but less than 6 months following my coaching with Melissa I had the job I was born to do. It still gives me goosebumps. Things in my personal and home life also started to take shape and be consistent with the vision I had worked on through coaching.
I was so surprised by the immense progress I made in our 8 sessions. I kept praising and thanking Melissa along the way for “fixing” me and she consistently responded that I was doing the work myself, not her. She was merely there to bring light and attention to what I already knew was inhibiting me. This is what makes Melissa stand out from other coaches. She does not promise a magic cure that will work the same for everyone. She is upfront and honest that happiness is a dial, not a button you push.
Before our work together, I was dreading another day without having a true purpose to my day/life. I felt stuck, lost and in a professional rut. I was unhappy, overwhelmed, anxious, and felt resentment towards those I perceived as holding me back from happiness. I feared my husband would think I was crazy for even considering spending money that I technically did not have.
I feel so connected now!
When I started coaching with Melissa, I had what we coined “Spotlight Syndrome.” I felt like I walked around all day with a spotlight on me. Like I was under a microscope, just waiting to be critiqued, criticized, ridiculed, scolded, etc. I was on guard, I was lashing out at my husband, and I had little patience with myself because it exhausted me. In a few short sessions, my ‘Spotlight Syndrome’ dissolved and has not returned.
I had labeled myself a perfectionist and attributed almost everything that stressed me out as a result of my perfectionism. Since going through coaching, I stopped being so hard on myself. I’m feeling fulfilled, content, valued, motivated, loved, blessed, found, grateful…I could go on forever!”
– JANELLE ISON
“I’ll tell anyone who will listen that Melissa is worth her weight in gold.
I’ve gotten way more out of our work together than I ever did in all my years in therapy combined.
She helped me realize — and believe in my bones — that I can manifest the life I want for myself.
Years ago, I would have thought that was a bunch of woo-woo nonsense if I hadn’t experienced it for myself firsthand with her guidance. In my relationships with loved ones, in my work, and most importantly in my relationship with myself, I was able to bring about the changes I wanted.
It didn’t happen right away; nor did it happen without a lot of introspection that’s not always pretty, but it did happen. Now I totally buy into the fact that life happens for us, not to us – and I’m grateful for all the lessons.
A million thank you’s to you, Melissa, for showing me how ‘ease-y’ this can be.”
– LAURIE
“I asked, and boy did I receive. Meeting Melissa was synchronicity at its finest. When I first set out in search of a life coach, I was looking for someone that could guide me on my path to intentional living and help me tap into that gut feeling / KNOWING part of me that I wanted to live by. Through our 12 sessions, Melissa not only helped me accomplish that, but so much more.
I’ve pretty much lived my entire life using logic to make decisions — jobs, relationships, etc. I started to realize that arriving at my choices using this type of method was often leaving me feeling unfulfilled with work and in my relationships. I would be excited in the beginning, thinking that this time I was on the right track, but then I would slowly lose my spark, motivation, and end up feeling misaligned.
Working with Melissa taught me what an intuitive being I was.
It’s no wonder that right after we started working together, I met my significant other. Melissa not only helped me process a lot of the hard emotions that came up in our relationship, but also honor and make peace with them.
My biggest take away with Melissa was that I no longer felt the urge to resist uncomfortable/ ‘negative’ feelings. I was able to sit with and find peace with the uncertainties of life, and that gave me the gift of freedom.”
– EDITH CHAK
“I love having Melissa as my Mindfulness Coach. Being a Life Coach myself, I really wanted a mindfulness partner to help me cultivate a real ‘in-the-moment’ approach to everyday living.
I have less self-judgment, more self-compassion and a true awareness that broadens my ability to experience more peace, more love and more clarity.
Melissa’s insights, questions and observations have taken my own personal development to the next level.”
– JENNIFER BARLEY, PCC
“You are such a gem! I felt at ease with you from the very first phone call. I loved your help facilitating those moments of energy build-up and release that I clearly needed. You’ve demonstrated what it means to truly master Mindfulness Coaching and have been such a source of inspiration as a new coach myself!
Since our work together, I feel lighter. I feel more connected, energized, inspired and hopeful. Our work around not allowing myself to hand my power over to others has been transformational. My new normal has an underlying current of faith and trust.
I ABSO-FUCKING-LUTELY recommend you! I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect (though I knew deep down it would be transformative), but our time together far exceeded my expectations.”
– DARA NOBLE, MINDSET & MANIFESTATION COACH
“You have helped me not only find my light again, but to shine it more brightly than ever.
Thank you for creating a safe and trusting space that allowed me to be vulnerable and willing to be seen without the masks. I have created so much awareness and mindful presence with your guidance. I have learned to feel and to be able to handle whatever comes at me by simply taking a pause and feeling exactly what I feel in that moment — not in my head, but in my body.
I move through my moments and days with so much more ease, grace, and flow. I trust myself and my intuition more than I ever have.
I was courageous and brave enough to quit my full-time job and follow my passion. I found my voice in relationships and am able to set boundaries and have more open conversations and ask for things that I need and want without hesitation. I have definitely built confidence in myself and believe in my worth.
Initially I was hesitant in digging deeper and facing the Truth of who I am and how I had been showing up and why. I was surprised at how quickly I came to trust you and to be incredibly vulnerable with you.
I never felt judged in any way. I’m grateful for your kind spirit, for showing me so many different perspectives and clearing the clouds in my brain to allow me to truly see, with all of my senses, that I am a beautiful being.
You have taught me a deeper meaning of opening up, of remaining true to myself, that with all the unsteadiness, stresses, and craziness, along with beauty and tenderness in this world and in people, I can remain steadfast in my beliefs, grounded in my Truth.
You are the most amazing space holder ever! This world is a better place because of you and your teachings. I am a better person as a result of your kindness and compassion for what you do and who you are.
If you really want a better and more fulfilling and awakened life…Melissa is your girl! Run, don’t walk, to make your first appointment!!”
– CINDY WILLSON
“I called Melissa because I felt something was off in my life. My mind was going 1,000 miles an hour. I was tired, on the verge of work burnout, and that ‘voice in my head’ was spinning out of control. I needed somebody to help me pause and work through all these emotions in a loving, compassionate way.
I did a lot of research before finding Melissa. When I spoke to her, I immediately felt at ease. We started to craft the life I wanted: Where I live, what job, who I would surround myself with…
Melissa helped me find my authentic voice. She helped me break down each limiting belief. She helped me unwind my thoughts so my life started to flow.
Sorting through all my anxiety, I realized I wasn’t living a life that was authentically me. I had ignored what I truly wanted for my life. She helped me release self-judgment, find confidence and compassion with myself. She gave me the guidance to take control and step into my life and own it.
Before working with Melissa, I was so concerned about what others thought of me. I was spending so much time and effort on thoughts, worries, people, things that didn’t matter. Now the first question I ask myself is ‘Self, is this what you want? Are you in line with what you want?’
I’ve learned to release judgment of myself and others. I feel awake and alive again. I feel a huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.
Post-coaching, I bravely made a lot of life changes. I removed everything that was blocking me from creating my best life. I could never have done this without Melissa. My mom even made a comment on how I am more myself than ever. I am taking care of my mind, body and soul and not letting anybody or anything get in the way of my happiness. And through meditation, Melissa helped me find value in silence, breathing and slowing down.
Melissa is the most genuine person I’ve ever met. She takes the time to apply her research to help guide you in the most authentic way. I was impressed by how easily she helps connect the dots. While the work we did was deep and soulful, she guides you in a very light way. Melissa is the real deal.”
– MELODIE SCHWARTZ
“Signing up to work with Melissa made 2016 my best year yet. I was THE responsibility queen when I started working with Melissa. I wanted assignments, deadlines and anything that would allow me to pack on more achievements. Through working with Melissa, I started to unpack those achievements one at a time until I was revealed, just as I am, enough.
When I signed up with Melissa, I was not even making enough to pay my bills, so money was such a factor in signing up. Making the decision to sign up for coaching with Melissa transformed my relationship to money. I made decisions and had conversations with my loved ones that have contributed to a calmer and more abundant relationship to money.
Every time I left a call with Melissa, I felt tremendously lighter and so much more capable of my deepest desires.
Her presence is unmatched and allowed for tremendous growth and reflection. The most profound change I’ve experienced as a result of the coaching process is that I believe in myself and I accept myself right here, right now.
I have a better relationship to my body, to my partner, and I no longer operate in the world of ‘shoulds’ and ‘not enoughs.’ There’s always a way. I am enough. I prioritize my joy. I find solutions because I know I am capable and worthy. I am forever grateful to Melissa.”
– ANDY ZUNDEL, CPC, ELI-MP
"I was feeling stuck in my career and knew I wasn’t living up to my potential. I was going through the motions on autopilot, too afraid to slow down and take stock of where I was, what I was feeling and what I wanted for the future.
Coaching helped me tune into my own needs and desires and find ways to become still to ask those important questions. I learned to set intentions about how I want to feel and show up each day, to face fears, and recognize beliefs I held that were holding me back from expressing myself in this world.
I've felt a profound shift in my belief system about who I am and how I show up. I’ve slowed down a lot, consciously making time to take care of myself and doing things that fill me up and bring me joy.
I started to speak up more at work, take more risks and speak more freely, with less judgment about how I sounded or what I said. I also started to do this at home with my husband and my kids, asking for more help, acknowledging what I didn't want to take on and accepting that what I was doing was enough. I got clear in my interest and passion for coaching and am creating a new path for myself that feels purposeful, challenging and soul-nourishing.
My work with Melissa has made me feel more alive and awake in this world. I’ve activated a whole new sense inside me that I didn’t even know I had. I’m more courageous and am starting to see and appreciate some of my true gifts and ways I can amplify them."
– LAURA DENATALE, Leadership & Career Coach
“I highly recommend Melissa as a coach. I started working with her coincidentally the day after the traumatic end of my marriage. She was right there with me with my grief, and working with her was pivotal in my success in surviving the initial month of my breakup. She was completely present and was able to be with the deep sadness and helped shed light on the slivers of hope during this time.
She works very intuitively, authentically and thoughtfully. I feel stronger and more aligned due to my coaching sessions with her.
Melissa empowered me during the darkest days of my life and I am forever grateful.”
– MATI M.
“From the first time I spoke with Melissa, I knew she was the person I was meant to work with both because of her radiant empathy, humor, and insightfulness, as well as her deep knowledge of her field. She shaped our sessions so that they were filled with ease, even when she was using her uncanny ability to ask me the questions I most needed to consider (and most wanted to avoid).
And she struck an amazing balance between giving me the space to work through my answers in my own time, and pushing me when I needed to be pushed.
My experience being coached by Melissa was truly transformational.
I learned things about myself, and tools for creating more positive behaviors in my own life. And with her help I was able to realize that I wanted to spend six months exploring the world and reflecting on how I wanted to contribute positively to it, which ultimately led me to starting my own business.”
– Alison Gold, Founder, Optimistic Anthropology
“When I started working with Melissa, I was feeling stuck and trying to deny the self-doubt whirring inside my head. Was I really meant to be an entrepreneur?
Melissa’s authentic and intuitive coaching style opened the door to life-changing breakthroughs that have shifted my energy in dramatic ways.
We dug into some deep and tender areas I didn’t know were lurking and yet I felt safe exploring this territory with her by my side. Thanks to her support and gentle nudging, I have a greater sense of ease and clarity around the direction of my business.
And perhaps the most significant shift is the confidence I have found stepping into my authentic self. This is huge for me after a lifetime of doing what I thought everyone else thought I should do.
Bit by bit, Melissa helped me shed the old beliefs that were holding me back both personally and professionally. Melissa, thank you for showing up with me week after week and sharing your gifts. With immense gratitude…”
– Julie Kelsey, Executive & Leadership Development Coach, MBA, ACC
“Working with Melissa has brought me more benefits than can be measured quantitatively or wrapped up in a short testimonial.
I chose to work with Melissa because I was experiencing lots of stress and blocks around starting my coaching business. I wanted help with getting to a place where I had enough energy and clarity to create a business and support others as well as myself.
During the process, she helped me unlock a side of myself that I had been downplaying my entire life, and the magic that has flowed into my life from opening to my intuitive self has been unbelievable.
You can’t put a price on something that changes the course of the rest of your life, but if you could, it would be far more than what Melissa charges. I highly recommend coaching with Melissa to anyone who is ready to transform into their greatest being with the help of a playful, kind-hearted, free-spirited coach.”
– ALEX MILAYCHEV
“I have worked with Melissa at numerous points over the last several years and consider her to be instrumental to moving me toward a path of fulfillment both personally and professionally. When I first met Melissa, I was in a strategy and operations role at a consulting firm and interested in identifying and pursuing next steps in my career. I have since launched my own company in a space closely tied to my own personal interests (fine arts) and am pursuing the lifestyle that I envisioned.
While entrepreneurship has always been a part of me, I am not sure it would have been awakened in me and pursued as early in my career had I not started working with Melissa. I am incredibly grateful that I connected with her as my life is completely different at this point (for the better).
Through our work together, I have developed a better sense of self and understanding of what I want out of life both in the short and long-term. Melissa has helped me hone my vision for the life I want to lead and develop actionable steps to achieve those goals.
Melissa’s approach is thoughtful, supportive, organized and highly motivational. She leverages tools and structures, as applicable, but always ensures that each coaching session is customized to suit your needs. I have referred several personal connections to her over the years and would strongly recommend her coaching services.”
– ELISE BOIVIN, ARTLYOWL
“It had been a long time since I’d felt a ‘gut feeling.’ I had become acclimated to favoring head over heart and was living the day to day, going through the motions. I overanalyzed decisions to a point where I didn’t even want either option anymore. I had considered finding a therapist but all my consultations said I should look into a more behavioral approach…and then I found Melissa Maher. Over 8 weeks we did a lot of work together.
I’ve walked away with a renewed sense of self. I can recognize gut feelings and actually have the confidence to trust them and, even more importantly, act on them.
I’m reminded of the power around slowing down and creating time for myself. And I am constantly refocusing on the idea of being ‘intentional.’
Having purpose behind my actions and allowing a brief moment of thought before action. The key takeaway from all my work is that it’s not an 8-week solve. The work continues every. damn. day. Just like any other goals you work towards in life. But Melissa coached me to keep it a priority and top of mind…and I’m not 100%. But I’m a lot closer than I was before the amazing work and progress I made with her as my coach.”
– ALISON FYFE
“Melissa’s coaching has had a tremendous impact on my life. At a time of complete confusion, I found her to be grounded, intuitive, and full of wisdom and grace.
I felt understood. I felt safe. I came away with tools and insights that were spot on for my journey and the steps I needed to help me at that time.
There was a depth to her understanding, a lightness to her words, and an incredibly magnetic personality. Dare I say, in the middle of chaos, I had fun and laughed! Melissa is truly gifted. An amazing gift in my life.”
– TRACI HINES
“I was struggling to get going with my coaching practice, feeling frustrated, stuck, and often overwhelmed. Through working with Melissa I feel more confident, clear and focused on what I’m doing and what I want to do, and can calm myself down in times of overwhelm.
Melissa has a great sense of intuition that helps to get to the heart of the matter or the root of the problem.”
– ANTOINETTE LIVIOLA
“Before my session with Melissa, I felt stuck and stalled out. I had an idea running around in my head about becoming an entrepreneur, but my ‘rational side’ was holding me back from making an real moves. Melissa was able to help me see that my ‘rational side,’ the side of me that kept saying ‘play it safe,’ was actually my gremlin in disguise. That truly was the ah-ha moment that changed everything for me.
Melissa helped me understand and make peace with my fear, while also helping me give myself permission to succeed.
If you’re serious about bettering yourself and getting un-stuck, Melissa is the coach for you!”
– COLLEEN NICHOLS
“At a time when I was making a career transition and felt uneasy about leaving the corporate career I had become so complacent with over the years, Melissa, with much grace and competence in the field of mindfulness, created the space for me to connect more deeply with my values, springing clarity on what I what I wanted to do next.
She also supported me in unrooting limiting thoughts that were getting in the way of the life I wanted to create for myself. Still today, I use the tools that I learned in my work with Melissa to continuously move forward in my life, with Joy.”
– ADA ROSALES, CERTIFIED LIFE COACH
“Before coaching with Melissa, I was feeling overwhelmed, sad, disconnected, overweight, and anxious. After the death of two close friends I had little energy to pursue my interests, try new things or make new friends. Since working with Melissa, I have more momentum and clarity. My days are delightfully busy. I’ve lost, and continue to lose, weight.