about mary
“The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”
Carl Jung
about mary shay millea
So happy you are here!
After decades of dedicated study, personal healing, and professional growth, I created the Millea Method—an embodied, evidence-informed approach designed to help you move beyond fear and toward your most authentic, wholehearted life.
My personal experience with IFS—not just as a coach, but initially as a client—transformed my nervous system and shifted my relationship with fear, anxiety, and fragmentation.
Today, I guide clients to connect with their inner “parts” (critics, protectors, dreamers), meet them compassionately, and invite their core Self to lead. In this space of integration, creative clarity, and resilience emerge—and life becomes deeply aligned and alive. I’d love to support you in discovering that clarity and freedom for yourself.
finding myself again
my story
For much of my life, anxiety was a constant companion. On the outside, I looked like I had everything together — a Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance Art History, prestigious academic fellowships, and a beautiful family. But inside, I often felt restless, overwhelmed, and disconnected from myself.
It was through my own search for healing that I discovered mindfulness, meditation, and eventually Internal Family Systems. These practices didn’t just ease my anxiety — they transformed my relationship with myself. I learned how to meet the parts of me that were critical, fearful, or perfectionistic with compassion instead of judgment.
That transformation inspired me to shift from academia to helping people curate their own lives. Today, as an ICF-certified Holistic Life Coach, IFS practitioner, and mindfulness teacher, I guide others in finding the same inner freedom I once longed for — supporting clients in moving from stress and self-doubt into balance, clarity, and self-trust.
academic credentials
my background
I am an International Coaching Federation (ICF) certified Holistic Life Coach with additional certifications in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Meditation, and Mindfulness. My coaching is rooted in curiosity, compassion, and evidence-based practices that help clients connect with their inner wisdom.
Before becoming a coach, I earned a Ph.D. in Italian Renaissance Art History and spent over two decades immersed in teaching and curating at institutions including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Guggenheim Museum, and Christie’s Auction House. That training sharpened my ability to ask the kinds of creative questions that open new perspectives for my clients.
In 2022, I co-founded Body & Soul Collective, where I lead women’s wellness circles and retreats.