Manja "Maya" Rodriguez was born in Sarajevo Bosnia, remained an only child after her mother suffered a few losses. Her mother, a nationally renowned architect and her father, a businessman. Maya’s parents enjoyed travel, activities and sports. Maya grew up skiing in the Alpine mountains of Yugoslavia, played volleyball, soccer, tennis and many more. Traveled to about 10 European countries by the time she was 11 and enjoyed spending time hiking in the woods and enjoying the sunshine on the Mediterranean and Adriatic coast. She learned so much about history and culture not only through education, but simply by experiencing the dynamics of her family. Her mother’s side taught her about Turkish and Arabic culture and food, about Islam and its family structure. Her father’s side taught her about Christianity and the German way of living and history.

 

Although loved and nurtured by her family, she always felt like she was different and as if she didn’t belong to this world. Always connected more with the elderly, nature and animals. Loved foods which made her even more of an outcast because of her big-boned nature. All that was erased by the brutal Civil war that lasted 4 years from 1992- 1996. She experienced unimaginable horrors physically and emotionally. Surviving through 1.5 years of war was feat enough to fill one’s cup for a lifetime, the hunger, the torture, the loss, the anguish, the hatred, the chaos and so much more. Living as a refugee from one country to the next and then one continent to the next, added to the trauma. Not belonging to a religion, place, nationality, and constantly trying to fit in, her emotional limits were met.

 

The Chameleon, they called her. All her psychological pillars were tested past their limits, but she kept going. Kept fighting not only for herself, but also for her parents who depended on her for simple tasks like translating. Living through their PTSD was very difficult, at which point she herself developed several severe disorders in order to survive; eating disorders, depression, anxiety and physical illness. Many medications and psychologists later there came enlightenment through spirituality.

 

Through it all she managed to acquire full ride scholarships to private high schools and prestigious University of Virginia. Graduated with Cum Laude, despite the language and poverty barriers with a Political Affairs and Psychology degree. She established herself with a career in the marketing and printing industry. She then met the love of her life and formed a family, becoming a step mom and a wife, raised those precious kids as her own.  

 

As Maya thrived in her home life & career she still wasn’t satisfied. She needed to heal herself from within. She was looking so hard for someone to save her. She thought that motherhood would be it, but she learned that although experiencing bringing your own child to the world is the most amazing feeling to love a person the way a mother does, she still learned that to heal she needed to love herself more. So that’s where her real journey began where Maya was just surviving now she started living. Her life started when she took that wounded inner child of hers and started to heal her.

 

All the financial stability, travel, achievements, meant nothing more than just a training for what was to come when her real life began. She became so much more in tune and ignited her relationships with her family, became a better wife, mom and friend. She transmits the energy and she knew that she needed to teach others how to do it. How to awaken and start living with love. Always with love in her heart.

 

Maya’s Healing Place was born when Maya encountered in her business path people and groups that needed emotional and psychological help. As it became more obvious that this was her purpose here on earth. She started the educating process of acquiring certifications and bringing to light more education which truly was inside her all along. In the first year, Maya’s Healing Place grew 200%. It’s been almost 4 years and it continues to grow & expand. She is determined and following her passion and calling. When one it’s aligned with themselves the sky is the limit.

 

Maya’s Healing Place is now Maya’s Healing Space, not confined to a specific location & holding space for all who need it.  

 

Love is Maya’s super power.