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Maria Belanic

I’m Maria Belanic, a bereaved mom, certified grief educator, and coach. I guide parents living with loss to name what often goes unsaid: you are not broken. I create space for love and loss to exist in the same breath, helping parents feel seen, understood, and live without having to pretend everything is okay.
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Certified Grief Educator, Maria Belanic

May 18, 2026
Contributed By: Maria Belanic

Tell us a little something about your business...

Some losses leave a silence you can’t explain. Some grief feels invisible, even when it’s crushing.
I thought I knew loss, until my son Stefan died of leukemia. Days blurred together. Fear, guilt, regret, showed up at once, and I had nowhere to put them.
That experience is why I coach and speak about grief. Guiding parents to feel seen, understood, and allowed to be exactly where they are. No apology, no pretending.

When was your lightbulb moment?

One day, I caught my reflection in the mirror and barely recognized the woman staring back, she looked empty, broken., Nothing I had tried over the years had worked to “fix” grief.. And in that moment, I realized grief didn’t have to go away. I didn’t have to fight or hide from it. It could walk with me, in a way that felt true to who I was becoming.

What are your three words of advice?

Compassion: For yourself, for the grief you carry. It’s not about fixing or judging, it’s about showing up for what you feel.

Acknowledge: Name it, sit with it, let it exist. When thoughts and feelings are acknowledged without judgement, they stops ruling your life from the shadows.

Release: Let go of guilt, shame, or the pressure to “move on.” You make space to carry grief without it carrying you.