MARIE VERPILLEUX

MY STORY

First, thanks for stopping by :) 
Here is a glimpse of my journey and what brought me here, even though today, I feel less and less attached to my story, or let's say defined by it. 

In terms of guidance work, I’ve been a coach and therapist since 2020, while also working in HR and as an in-house coach in a video game studio. Supporting others has long been a part of my life – in both personal and professional spheres – as I've always been naturally inclined to listen to, reassure, and boost those around me.

Simply put, I deeply love humanity and the beauty of interaction. Curious and enthusiastic by nature, I’m endlessly fascinated by learning and exploring through experience.
Guided by my inner drive and inspirations, I have continuously reinvented myself professionally, leaving fears and limiting beliefs aside as much as possible while paying little attention to others' opinions (= projections).  

🎢 It hasn't been a smooth ride, but I'm thankful for every single experience and encounter! 

Born in the Paris region, I remember feeling completely

out of sync with my surroundings from a very young age, even wondering what I was doing there. ​

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As a child, I was an emotional sponge and early on, I was labelled overly emotional, the dramatic one... in an environment where emotions were considered irrational 

and where it was safer to stay quiet and act as if everything was normal.

At the same time, in primary school, I was regularly picked

on by other children. Shy and fearful, I was struggling to fit in and I wanted to make myself small so they would leave me alone... while dreaming of being included.

On top of that, I was frequently ill, so I had to get painful antibody injections every week.

​Once finally in high school, I reversed the trend and started to assert myself, no longer trying to fit into a mold to be accepted (and loved). And I almost never got sick again.
It was my rebellious phase, my way of saying "now I do exist, I'm not afraid anymore, I don't care what others think, and nothing can stop me".​

I can still picture myself with my red hair, piercings, and beloved Spice Girls' iconic platform shoes... all of it sprinkled with anger whenever the injustice button was pushed. But when there is anger, there is often sadness in disguise.

From childhood up until recently, I have gone through the five so-called core "wounds of the soul" – namely injustice, rejection, humiliation, abandonment and betrayal – believed to the be the source of most struggles we deal with according to Lise Bourbeau, often leading to the adoption of protective "masks" or behaviours. 

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But just to be clear, our thoughts, feelings, emotional wounds, etc, do not define us. So I don't identify with them. They've taught me a lot, some are occasionally reactivated when I'm faced with certain people or situations, but less and less. And even if they were to resurface with more intensity, that would be okay: healing is not linear but a spiral. Plus it would mean that some deeper layers are ready to be seen.
 

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💡 A quick side note :

Resisting what we’re going through is often what causes the most suffering and stress, together with overthinking, judging and ending up stuck in our own narratives... not the events in themselves (neutral). 

In short, resisting anything is draining as it requires a lot of energy. And what we resist, persists. 

When something uncomfortable arises, we usually try to avoid, ignore, numb, solution, or escape it.
And that's also okay: that's how we – human beings – were designed, with protective defense mechanisms meant to keep us safe. What's important though is to be aware of them :)

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Also, human beings tend to identify with and become attached to the facets that make up their persona/character, to labels, their job, and the roles they play in various contexts (whether consciously or not)...

And to keep feeding the same stories which, over time, turn into limiting beliefs, eventually creating their reality (e.g. "I'm highly sensitive therefore I cannot go to the shopping mall because it will drain all my energy".)

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My intention when coaching or supporting others is to help them become aware of the said mechanisms that, although "normal", can lead to getting lost and stuck in circles. ​

Once a young adult, eager to explore and discover new things, I luckily fulfilled some dreams, the most unforgettable being a year-long solo trip around the world in 2009. 

Shortly before turning 25, after a failed attempt to work in Crete, I deserted France again and moved to London. 
Exactly when I was about to purchase a return ticket to Paris because I was running out of savings as I couldn't find a "proper" job, I got invited to interview for my dream job: paid-to-travel reporter.
Despite having no background in journalism + feeling I hadn't performed well during the 2-hour-long interview, I was landing in Istanbul 4 days later to start my training with a team.
In total, I spent one year there, as well as several months in Mumbai, Manila, and Jakarta.
Then started my world trip, later lived in Sydney, and next spent 6 months in Africa, including an overland tour from South Africa to Kenya, camping in nature in a different spot every night for 9 weeks. Pure magic. And the people 🫶🙏

Once back in Paris, I surprised myself by falling in love with the city, so I decided not to leave again right away.

I became an English teacher, working weekly with 13 different classes of Bachelor's and Master's students, after a first experience in a middle/high school.

Regularly, at the end of the class, some would come to me to unburden themselves and open up about their hardships, insecurities, or lack of self-confidence. I always felt honoured for having their trust.

A few years later, I moved close to Barcelona, right in the midst of a wave of unexpected unsettling events... yet like everything else, it all taught me a lot. One thing that deeply struck me was how, in the middle of the storm, exhausted and facing my biggest fear while intensely revisiting old emotional wounds at the same time, I felt supported, even carried by an indescribable force and unwavering faith. 

Since then, more experiences and encounters have given me the opportunity to shed light on what still needed to be seen and processed.

Gradually, I removed layer after layer, digested, accepted, and forgave: it all happened naturally over time without forcing anything, and especially without any orientated or strategic"self-work".
Spoiler alert: I'm not a fan of that term, just as I’m not fond of "self/personal/spiritual development" (which to me often feeds the personality or the spiritual ego)... not to mention the miracle promises of the booming spiritual tourism and marketing all over social media. ​

Furthermore, being faced with destabilising situations allowed me to realise how much my needs had evolved over the past few years, particularly my need for security, stability and grounding. And I drew a parallel with my childhood.