Meet Maryann Udel | Certified Life & Business Coach focused on loss & grief

We had the good fortune of connecting with Maryann Udel and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Maryann, how does your business help the community?
When I became a widow at the age of 24, I struggled to find the support I needed beyond that of my own family.

This was where I decided to place my attention when I became a certified life and business coach and founded Sheltering Tree in 2015. I didn’t want anyone else to feel lost, alone, or broken in their grief. I focus on helping others find their way through loss. This work is my purpose in life and fully honors my first husband’s (Bob’s) memory.

I shine a light on what no one wants to talk about, providing hope, help and permission to feel. I have the privilege of guiding people to a new life beyond their pain. Supporting them to keep going when all they want to do is quit, helping them to find and deepen their strength. In addition to my coaching clients, I regularly speak to educate about grief.

We need to talk about it.
Grief is necessary.
It’s a normal human experience, and it’s important to face it, feel it, and allow it to happen.

Unfortunately, our society doesn’t talk about grief much. It’s no wonder people don’t know what to do, feel like they’re doing something wrong, and can’t understand why they aren’t able to “get over” it already. There’s fear around the topic, and I want to make it OK to discuss.

The initial grief is like being tossed into the middle of a tsunami. You feel like you can’t breathe, you get thrown around, unable to find your footing — totally adrift. Eventually the storm begins to calm. You get your feet on the ground, but you’re still disoriented. All around you, things have changed, and nothing is familiar. You figure out where you are and slowly bring a sense of order back into your life. Yet there’s no denying that everything has changed. You have to figure out what you can do with what you have now. The next time a storm comes up, you stay grounded when a wave hits.

Loss changes you, but it doesn’t own you.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
There aren’t many certified life & business coaches who focus specifically on loss and grief. My clients have experienced grief from 3 months to 30 years before they start working with me. Because grief is rarely discussed or understood, people get stuck in unresolved grief. Through our work together, they make peace with the past and are able to move forward.

My coaching process combines my personal grief experience into the certified training I received.

At the age of 24, I became a widow and years later as I reflected on my life, I was able to clearly see the steps I took to navigate my journey. That’s when I decided to become a coach to help others through their own grief journey. When I became restless in the corporate jobs I held for about 20 years, I began to explore and develop my coaching career on the side. When I was laid off in 2017, I started coaching full time.

It’s never too late to start again and find your purpose.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I would start at the beach and spend a day walking or renting a bicycle to explore the coast, grabbing food along the way. During the week, I’d include visits to Museum Mile, the Getty and probably attend a show at the Pantages or Ahmanson Theatre.

I would definitely make a trip to visit the different Hollywood studios and the diverse neighborhoods surrounding each of them. There’s always good food near by.

If they are up for a hike, I’d go to one of the many trails and commune with nature for the day.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
There have been many sources of inspiration and mentors who have guided and taught me along the way.

I’d like to give a heartfelt shoutout to two mentors who have been pivotal in my journey. Specifically I want to thank Samantha Bennett (https://therealsambennett.com) who helped me open up to my creativity to find more peace and joy in my life.

I also want to recognize Melissa McFarlane (https://creative-successful-entrepreneurs.com) who worked me through the creation of my business and coaching certification and continues to support & guide me as a coach.

Website: www.yourshelteringtree.com

Instagram: @yourshelteringtree

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maryann-udel

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maryann.r.udel and https://www.facebook.com/YourShelteringTree