Maria Cussell

Working with Maria has been an incredibly valuable experience during my transition into a more demanding leadership role. Our conversations and her guidance has helped me clearly identify my strengths and address areas for growth and focus with confidence. I’m incredibly grateful for her support.

I’ve had two coaching sessions with Maria, and both have been incredibly valuable. She is a fantastic coach who creates such an inviting and safe space to explore your thoughts and the different paths you can take. She has a remarkable ability to notice the small things—like body language and tone of voice—and gently guides you to explore those further. Through this, I gained meaningful insights about myself that helped me feel empowered and clear on my next steps. Each time I’ve come away feeling like I’ve untangled another knot and know exactly how to move forward in that area of my life. Her kind, calming presence makes you feel truly seen, heard, and supported. Thank you so much for holding such a warm and powerful space for growth. Anni, tech product manager

Maria helped me rekindle my flame, that precious fire that burns when you know that you are living into your purpose in life. It had taken quite a few housings, and I felt as though I was simply drifting through each day on automation - wake up, get through the day with the tyranny of numerous alarms telling me that it was time to write, do admin, exercise, meditate (you name it, I had an alarm for it), but I was living in a "must do, should do, have to" space rather than a "want to, get to, can't wait to" space. Maria's coaching helped me reach deeply into feeling rather than thinking - a softer space and way of being, rather than driving doing through sheer grit. I have a simple question now that I ask before or during doing something: does this feed the flame? Essentially, the questions boils down to: Am I really living, or merely existing? And it FEELS tangibly good to LIVE again.

Maria and I have worked together on more than one occasion and I am delighted to be able to highly recommend her executive coaching skills and expertise to those considering this path. Maria creates an environment of trust and safety in all sessions (as well as a good dose of fun!) and guides you to self analyse, identify and unlock personal challenges. She equips you with both the confidence to address these and the practical implementations to develop new habits and action your learning points enabling you to continue to grow and develop independently. I encourage you to reach out to Maria and connect with her for a conversation on how she can support you! H Atkinson.

Maria and I have been working together since 2016, when she first supported me as my mentor during my initial coach training. When I completed my training, there was no question in my mind that I wanted her to continue accompanying me as my supervisor. She has held this role ever since. Over the years, our way of working has deepened and evolved significantly. What began as professional guidance has grown into something I would now probably describe as having a “soul-guide” by my side. Maria has a rare gift for naming what is true—gently, clearly, and without shying away from what might be uncomfortable. With her wonderful, warm depth of presence, she has a natural ability to create a true “temenos”, a sacred, protected space for reflection and transformation. I know that with her, I always have a safe place to articulate whatever is alive in my coaching practice and in my life. Our work together in any one session ranges effortlessly between the intensely personal and the profoundly pragmatic, depending on what it is that I need in the moment. To work with Maria is to experience a transformation - not just within myself, but also in the depth, clarity, and impact of my work. I feel deeply privileged to have Maria accompany me as my supervisor, and in my ongoing unfoldment as a coach and as a human being.

I consider myself extremely fortunate to have worked with Maria, and I am currently completing my second coaching program with her over the last seven years. Maria has an exceptional ability to create a safe and welcoming environment, which encourages openness and self-reflection. She skillfully helps you identify and challenge limiting beliefs, while providing insightful guidance to enhance both performance and mindset. Through her leadership and executive coaching, I’ve been able to uncover and address various barriers, ultimately unlocking new levels of personal and professional growth. Working with an expert like Maria has been invaluable in my development, and I highly recommend her for the Trusted Coach Directory. Paul Devlin