I feel like I can share openly and fully with Marina without judgment, like I can share deep parts of myself where I haven't previously had a space to do so. I get the sense that Marina is really with me, allowing me to show up more fully and authentically. Ultimately, I feel heard and appreciated and loved by her, leaving me lighter and brighter after our session. Go and see this woman, pronto! read more

Marina has helped me give voice to the wounded and shamed pieces of me through empathy and play, allowing me to be so aware of my own destructive self-talk. This woman has absolutely empowered me and inspires me to be the most open-hearted, uninhibited, and loving version of me. I hold so much gratitude for the gifts and tools she has brought into my life. I recommend for anyone who is looking to heal their relationships to the world and self to gift themselves sessions with Marina. read more

Marina has truly been a gift in my life. I came upon Marina's website when I was feeling stuck in my life - stuck in all of the ways that I was holding myself back from living fully. Marina's approach is deeply rooted in self compassion and self care. Marina has guided me in not simply *accepting* certain things about myself, but in actually celebrating my needs and feeling more grounded in myself. Honestly, working with Marina has been more supportive and helpful than any of my past experiences in traditional therapy. I think this is because she doesn't focus on dissecting "problems" but rather on truly honoring the underlying needs that are beneath whatever "issues" are going on. In this way, Marina helps guide people closer to themselves and their own wisdom. To top it all off, Marina has a great sense of humor and knows how to effortlessly blend tenderness and laughter. I cannot recommend Marina highly enough! read more

I have had the pleasure not once but twice (!) of being a participant in Marina's 6 & 12wk Non-Violent Communication groups for women and hands down, I am a better person for it! Marina holds such lovely space for the topics each member brings to the group with such grace and compassion, it's inspiring. She is truly a great teacher in the empathy practices and what I have valued most from her teachings is the way she uses herself in such an authentic and vulnerable way to demonstrate the difficulty and the ease of practicing NVC. Highly recommend her for your next adventure in personal growth! read more

Marina is outstanding. I can't say enough about her. We've been working with her for about two months, and even though we are generally in a good space and have good tools for communication, her help has been invaluable in helping us take our relationship to the next level and open and expand it beyond what I thought possible. We are preparing for our marriage this summer, and with Marina, we've really been able to embark on the process of engagement and marriage as a spiritual and emotional rite of passage. We are working through our issues with greater compassion and understanding than before. I feel like Marina's gentle coaching, her wisdom, and her practical and emotional insights are invaluable. Thank you, Marina, for all your help. read more

Before the angel that is Marina came into my life, I knew I was struggling, I couldn't find peace within myself, I *felt* like everything in my life was going wrong and was very stuck in the victim mindset. I talked to a few other therapists and was just not clicking with them or maybe I wasn't ready. Marina appeared just at the right time, when I finally accepted that my old way of dealing with things was not working. I don't really know how to describe how wonderful she is at what she does- asking the right questions, offering techniques to apply in daily life, somehow transferring her acceptance of you to you (if that makes sense). Very amazing lady and truly do recommend her if you resonate with anything you've read here. read more

Fantastic experiences only have I had with Marina, in groups, retreat and in personal work. I am so grateful for her existence and only hope that more people experience the benefit of her presence, intelligence, compassion and guidance. That way lies world and inner peace for all! read more

Marina's a warm and wise coach, immensely talented at making one feel at ease while also pushing one into growing spaces. She has a grace about her coaching--an ability to probe gently at the tough spots and walls, and ask insightful questions that helped connect me deeply, in my body, to the feelings behind the thoughts and ideas I was expressing. She is very, very talented in intuiting what next step to take throughout a coaching session--whether in conversation, in silence at key moments, in somatic work, and in really helping me to identify the most fundamental needs that cloak themselves in other desires. Highly recommended. Be prepared for powerful work together! read more

I'm honored and grateful to be part of Marina's weekly NVC group. What a world of difference diving into NVC has made in my life over just these past month or so! I'm feeling much more grounded, empowered, and certain of the strength of my intuition than ever. I have also been blessed to have had private counseling sessions with Marina via Skype. In every session, I felt like I met myself anew. With Marina's gentle invitation to be authenticly and genuinely me, I opened more and more to acceptance, self-love, and connection, stepping one foot at a time into the woman that I am but had never quite acknowledged. read more

Marina seems to carry within her, a deep wisdom about the human condition, and what it means to bring some compassion to it. Although she usually doesn't say much about the subject 'in words' (aka humility :)), her presence, authenticity, care and the work she offers are deeply healing and nourishing. She really cares and it shows in the way she holds space and works with you. She is also a very skilled coach and facilitator - gentle and yet very clear and focused. Her NVC women's groups are brilliant. I've been part of 3 and loved them. They really helped me to translate my judgmental lens of myself and others into a more empathic lens - and what a difference just that makes! I so so so recommend her to anyone looking for personal growth in any form! read more

When I am counseled by Marina, I feel like she really spends time stepping over into my world; meeting me where I am at. As a result, I feel heard and understood. Marina empathizes with me in a way that empowers me. She asks insightful and thought-provoking questions to get clear about my issue and that makes me, in turn, gain my own clarity, which is empowering and it gives me the confidence to take action. Without hesitation I recommend counseling with Marina especially if you are struggling with guilt, anxiety, procrastination, or shame read more

I felt so loved by Marina. I felt her warmth throughout our session and her calm presence helped me open up some deep tender places within. I've seen a lot of different counselors, and this soft sweet space she made for me helped me make some powerful changes. read more

I participated in a 12 week NVC women's group and deeply appreciated Marina's skill at holding space for authentic and meaningful conversations. She role models the practice of NVC in her very being--speaking and engaging herself and others in an intentional and ever-unfolding exploration of feelings and needs. She balances her role as a very skillful NVC practitioner with a sense of vulnerability and warmth that creates an immediate sense of ease. read more

Marina's Non-Violent Communication women's group was like Christmas morning for my heart. Every. Single. Time. This group is jazzercise for your empathy muscle and both a playground and safe refuge for your spirit. I've taken about a year's worth of NVC classes in different environments and with different groups of folks, but Marina's class is by far one of my favorite venues. This is partly because of who Marina is (real, funny, silly, humble, grounded, patient and super-smart) and partly because of the space of the private home the group met in (bring your slippers and toothbrush, you'll want to move right in). Listening to Marina get her NVC on is like watching your favorite, relaxed musician on stage: that shit looks so natural one forgets that years of dedicated practice and study are at play. As for NVC itself, it's nothing short of life-changing; offering a practical roadmap of choice for how to perceive and react to both internal feelings and the world around us. NVC is seeing in color after a lifetime of black and white. I'm feeling so, so grateful for Marina's class. Truly, it met my need for intimate and deep connection, authenticity, brave vulnerability and beauty. http://www.shamelessheart.com/nvc/ read more

Marina is a wonderful human being and terrific counselor. Since meeting and working with her over the last three months she has helped give me the tools to become aware of and deal with many difficult issues and negative emotions and habits (some that have just come up, and some that I have been carrying around my entire life). Marina has that magic balance of being both extremely professional and caring and accessible and I felt completely comfortable in the space (both physical and emotional) that she provided at each meeting. She was also very flexible with my schedule, which was very full at the time. I am in such a better place in my life after meeting with her and feel ready to take on so many other challenges because of her guidance. The world is a better place with her in it and I would highly recommend her services to anyone seeking help and clarity. read more

Marina is patient, insightful, helpful, funny, balanced, and super compassionate. I participated in her 8 week NVC Women's Group. I went in with 0 NVC experience but could appreciate the love and support that emanated each and every session. The group itself is a wonderful weekly opportunity to practice empathy and receive support and meet compassionate women. Highly recommend! read more

What can I say about Marina that hasn't already been said before? Loving, caring, hugely supportive, without a hint of judgement are things that come to mind when thinking about dear Marina. I saw Marina for private sessions over the course of about one year. During that time, she helped me to find my voice, encouraging and supporting me in how to express myself more fully and without fear of how others may respond. I grew enormously from my sessions with Marina and am eternally grateful for her unique support. She is an angel. A miracle worker. A Saint. read more

Marina Smerling has been such an incredible guide. I have done my share of therapy and have gotten more help from Marina in just a few sessions! She blends being able to really understanding you, love and compassion, humor and all of this tied together with her NVC training. I highly recommend her !!! read more

My partner and I had our first session with Marina last night. In our own home! She has great energy, and was able to offer guidance and gifts that helped deepen our connection and illuminate unseen aspects of my personality. She is strong, delightful, and encouraging. I have worked with others before, but with Marina, even after just 1 session I know we are a great fit and will be working with her ongoingly. I am very happy to make this connect, and cannot recommend her highly enough. read more

5 stars would not be enough to characterize Marina's work!!!! ! I have done a lot of therapy in my life, but my work with Marina has been by far one of the best experiences I have ever had!!! I started working with Marina in the context of NVC (non-violent communication). She was the assistant teacher in my first NVC class. I immediately noted her kind nature and open heart. She has an amazing insight into how working with our communication skills can lead to a deeper process that uncovers our deepest fears and grief. But what I find amazingly beautiful is that she is able to create a gentle supportive place for you to stay in there and actually process the true deep real stuff that comes up in the process (if you know what I mean). She is tender and nurturing, yet also very no nonsense. She always stays focused on bringing the work back to you, in very creative and insightful ways. She also gives you hard and fast tools to take with you back out into the "real world." I am now working with Marina one on one and in a group environment. I look forward to every meeting with her as I know in every session she brings me to a place where I touch a sense of deep embodied self and self confidence. If you are lucky enough to have been referred to Marina I can't recommend her highly enough. read more