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Maria Freebairn-Smith

Maria’s passion for supporting creative solutions in parenting and co-parenting stems from her lifelong commitment to creative expression through intuitive painting. For more info on this process, visit the website for The Center for Creative Expression, a non-profit she helped start over 30 years ago. Using the guiding principles of creativity (presence, curiosity, listening, and exploration), she empowers families with fresh perspectives and take-home tools that make family life immediately easier, and can have a lasting effect throughout the whole parenting or co-parenting journey. She has a Creative Parenting Center in Sebastopol, CA where she holds parenting and co-parenting sessions, family meetings, parenting support groups and intuitive painting classes.

Maria was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Twenty-five years ago, her then partner and she chose Sonoma County as the place to raise their two sons. They are grown and “fledged” now, and continue to inspire her on her path. She has re-partnered, so she knows personally the path of raising children in two households. With her new partner of 17 years she enjoys dancing, gardening and pickle ball and above all else, creative expression!

Maria holds a degree in Psychology from Barnard College, Columbia University with advanced trainings in early childhood education, conflict resolution, Middendorf Breathexperience and creative expression through intuitive painting and embodied storytelling (Motion Theater).  Her graduate work was in Restorative Justice from the International Institute for Restorative Practices where she earned her Graduate Certificate in RJ. She has helped start and oversee four non-profits: Sunridge Waldorf Charter School, Open Circle Cooperative Preschool, The Center for Creative Exploration and Drawbridge: An Arts Program for Homeless Children.

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