Story & Lesson Highlights with Marianna Cuomo Maier of Chelsea

We recently had the chance to connect with Marianna Cuomo Maier and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Marianna, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
I’m being called to dive into sound healing and bring sound meditation to the Grata Wellness community. As someone who always wants to be research- and science-backed and intentional about the services I offer, I hesitated for a long time. I’ve thought about sound healing for years, but now I feel truly ready and called to make the leap.

I love the way crystal singing bowls feel, how they sound, and how their vibrations resonate not just in the space, but in the body, mind, and heart. Research suggests that the harmonic frequencies and vibrations of crystal bowls can support nervous system regulation, reduce stress, and promote a sense of balance and wellbeing. There’s something incredibly special about the energy that arises when people gather in a shared, intentional space, something I’ve felt deeply through wellness events and guided meditations in person.

I’m proud to have invested in training and the bowls themselves, and the timing has felt like the stars aligning. My hope is that the bowls help me feel grounded, radiant, and fully expressive and that through this practice, I can help others feel lighter, more centered, and filled with gratitude, presence, and energy.

I love how accessible sound healing is, no matter your experience level. As a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach and HeartMath Certified practitioner in Stress, Anxiety, and Emotional Regulation, I’m thrilled to now bring sound healing into my Grata Wellness practice through sound meditations and sound baths. I can’t wait to share this practice with others, holding space for collective healing, connection, and vibrant energy.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi! I’m Marianna Cuomo Maier, a National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coach, HeartMath® certified practitioner, and founder of Grata Wellness. I specialize in mindfulness, holistic wellness, and nervous system regulation, empowering individuals and teams to cultivate balance, clarity, and purpose through guided breathwork, meditation, journaling, and sound healing.

At Grata Wellness, I help people create wellness practices that are both practical and transformative. What makes Grata Wellness unique is the combination of science-backed tools with heart-centered practices so clients don’t just learn strategies, they feel the impact in their bodies, minds, and energy. I lead workshops, wellness events, and guided sessions in New York City and virtually worldwide, creating spaces where people can leave feeling grounded and empowered.

Right now, I’m especially excited to bring sound meditation and crystal bowl sound baths into the Grata Wellness community. I’ve seen the powerful energy that arises when people gather in an intentional space, and I love helping others feel grounded, radiant, and connected. My goal is to make wellness approachable, enjoyable, and practical while creating an environment for collective healing, presence, and vibrant energy.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learned is that “perception is reality.” How we choose to see the world shapes how we experience it. Our mindset determines whether we notice opportunities or obstacles, whether we feel overwhelmed or resilient. This awareness became even clearer to me when I thought about how we interact with others: imagine if everyone wore a deli sign showing all the things they’re carrying: the challenges, stresses, and struggles hidden beneath the surface.

It’s a humbling reminder that we rarely know the full story of someone else’s life, and yet we have the choice to meet each other with compassion, patience, and understanding. When we combine this awareness with a mindset grounded in gratitude and optimism, we not only navigate our own challenges more gracefully but also create a more empathetic, connected world. That moment of clarity, seeing the power of both perception and empathy, truly shaped how I approach life, relationships, and the way I show up for others.

If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
One of the greatest pieces of wisdom I’ve learned is that the most important relationship you have is the one with yourself.

If I could say one kind thing to my younger self, it would be: speak to yourself and treat yourself the way you would treat your loved ones. Invest your time, energy, and attention in yourself just as you do for family and friends.

When we nurture that relationship, we build resilience, clarity, and self-compassion, which are tools that carry us through challenges and allow us to show up fully in all areas of life. Self-care isn’t selfish, it’s essential. It helps us engage with others from a place of abundance rather than depletion, preventing resentment and creating space for connection and presence.

So I ask: how can you prioritize your relationship with yourself today?

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. What would your closest friends say really matters to you?
If you asked my closest friends, they’d probably say what matters most to me is connection, presence, and authenticity. Growing up attending a Quaker school, I learned the power of stillness, reflection, and recognizing the divine, or deeper wisdom, in everyone. Silence, as I experienced it through Quaker practice, isn’t empty, it’s full of presence, gratitude, and love. That lesson has carried into everything I do, from my personal life to the way I lead Grata Wellness.

At Grata Wellness, I work to create spaces through workshops, guided meditations, wellness events, and 1:1 sessions in New York City and virtually where people can feel seen, supported, and empowered. My friends would say I care deeply about helping others build resilience, clarity, and self-compassion, while also fostering connection, gratitude, and vibrancy.

Ultimately, what matters most to me is living with gratitude and intention: cultivating awareness of our own minds and bodies, showing kindness and empathy to others, and creating opportunities for people to feel grounded, connected, and fully present. Helping people thrive in their everyday lives is at the heart of everything I do.

Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Out of college, I followed a meaningful path teaching for Teach For America in Chicago and later serving as Chief of Staff at a health tech startup. Both experiences profoundly shaped my perspective, teaching me the importance of service, leadership, and supporting others, while also showing me the limits of my own tools to fully help those I wanted to impact. I realized I wanted to create something where I could directly empower people to thrive in their body, mind, and spirit.

That’s how Grata Wellness was born. Through holistic coaching, workshops, and wellness events, I guide individuals to prioritize their health, cultivate balance, and live with intention and gratitude. My own journey from addressing burnout, healing my gut, and learning to care for my body, to completing two marathons, and exploring mindfulness, yoga, and sound healing helped me understand how transformative wellness practices can be. Now, I’m doing work that feels fully aligned with who I am at my core: empowering others to take control of their well-being, find joy in everyday life, and cultivate resilience, clarity, and purpose. This is what I was born to do, not just what I thought I should do.

Contact Info:

Image Credits
Alexa Denaburg (first 4 and main photo)
Mackenzie Williams (last, closeup headshot)

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