Maria Iliaki is an Australian national who currently works as a counselor at a New Zealand law firm. She has been a practicing Buddhist since she was a young child growing up in Southern Rhodesia and through much of her free time has dabbled into various spiritual practices such as Zazen and Tai Chi Chuan, though not for long periods of time before. After her many years of volunteer work overseas in places such as Iraq, China, and other Asian nations, Maria decided that the time was right to seek out a greater path in her life. This led her to begin a new course of study at Auckland University that would lead to a Masters Degree in Counseling. Maria’s efforts to find her own voice were met with much success as she pursued her Buddhist studies and even began her career as a psychotherapist and then practicing as a marriage and relationship therapist before she decided to pursue her master’s degree.
At the Masters level, Maria is now an expert in marriage and family dynamics and is qualified to fill a variety of leadership roles both locally and internationally. Her knowledge and expertise include relationship building, emotional intelligence and skills, social communication skills and leadership. In her role as a Marriage Coach, Maria will be able to help clients overcome their communication challenges and find effective ways to strengthen their relationships, whatever their religion or national identity. As a counselor, Maria Iliaki can also help clients who are not sure they have the skills or emotional intelligence required to enter a formal religious institution, or those who would like to deepen their understanding of their national culture, but lack the skills and resources needed to do so.
Maria Iliaki is not a newbie to the world of spiritual development. She has studied both Eastern and Western religions and their relationship to human development, life philosophy, and counseling. Her experiences span many decades spanning two cultures, which helps lend her a unique perspective on the inner workings of the human mind and body. Maria is well respected as an author and teacher of marriage and relationship counseling. Her many offerings as a speaker, writer, and counselor have helped to launch several books and programs about the relationship between the mind, body, and spirit.