MARIJA TAFRA
Certified Youth Resilience Coach
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
2001 - 2006
years working with youth
MASTER OF EDUCATION
Bachelor of English & Psychology
My foundation
Hi! I’m Marija—founder of Salixa Resilience Coaching and a certified youth resilience coach with a background in psychology and education. I’m also a long-time expat and a mom intentional about raising three resilient, authentic, and confident daughters.
Growing up alongside my sister Barbara, who was severely physically and mentally impaired, shaped who I am in more ways than I can count. She influenced my values, my perspective on faith, and ultimately my calling. Witnessing her limitations and her suffering empowered me to take advantage of my abled body—to travel, run, and enjoy food because I can.
For more than 20 years, I’ve supported hundreds of young people as a teacher, mentor, coach, and guide. The common thread for success in supporting youth in each of these roles was their trust in me.
Living and working across two cultures has deepened my empathy and reinforced my belief that every person’s story deserves to be heard with curiosity, compassion, and respect.
Based in Zagreb and working with clients worldwide, I support teens and emerging adults, expats and women pregnant after loss by meeting them where they are and helping them create meaningful, lasting change—one step at a time.
My journey as a late teen
The beginning of middle school came with bullying that shook my confidence and buried the resilience I thought I’d always carried.
My untamed, frizzy hair made me an easy target for tiny rubber bands that my bullies flung into it with improvised slingshots, leaving me feeling isolated and powerless hiding behind tears and self-doubt.
Then running changed everything.
In eighth grade, I joined track and field and discovered something I didn’t know I had: a talent for running. By senior year, I was competing at the Michigan State Finals. But more importantly, I found confidence, reclaimed my voice, and learned what it felt like to be strong in my own body.
The withdrawn, insecure thirteen-year-old I once was transformed into a down-to-earth first-generation young woman confident enough in herself to resist influencer beauty norms.
My journey as an emerging adult
My twenties, like those of many people, were filled with uncertainty, loss, and difficult decisions.
During my second year at the University of Michigan, I completed final exams just days after my sister passed away. As graduation approached, I wrestled with the question, “What next?” and ultimately followed a path that others thought was right for me rather than the one I fully understood for myself. Would I have chosen differently back then if I had had a life coach? Most likely, YES!
The Great Recession (2008-2009) made launching a career even more challenging. After months of uncertainty, I accepted a position teaching high school English in Atlanta. Working with students from ethnically and racially diverse backgrounds—and earning their trust as a teacher, coach, and mentor—showed me the profound impact of being truly seen and supported.
A few years later, I fulfilled a lifelong dream by moving to Croatia. I packed up my bags (and shipping container) and headed overseas.
Starting over in a new country taught me firsthand what it means to navigate change, build resilience, and create a sense of belonging far from home.
My journey as an expat
I’ll be honest—Croatia welcomed me with bureaucracy before it welcomed me with anything else.
My first major hurdle? Customs. A typo on an official document nearly kept me from collecting the 20-foot shipping container carrying everything I owned—including my car. Rather than slipping cash into someone’s pocket to “solve” the problem, I relied on something that aligned much better with my values: respectful persistence and a healthy dose of assertiveness. It worked.
I arrived with Croatian citizenship, a master’s degree from a renowned American university, fluent Croatian, native English, and plenty of optimism. I genuinely believed I’d find stable work within a few months.
Reality had other plans.
Months became years of juggling part-time jobs, moving back in with my parents, and watching friends build careers and families while I felt stuck in place. It challenged my confidence and identity while incessant irresponsiveness from companies following applications and interviews made it hard to stay optimistic.
That being said, I never gave up hope. I networked harder, embraced opportunities (I wouldn’t have previously) that became stepping stones, and gradually learned how to navigate Croatian work culture without compromising my values.
Looking back, those years taught me that resilience isn’t about having an easy path—it’s about noticing the small steps forward and trusting that momentum.
* * * *
My journey was recently featured in the HRT documentary “Hrvatska, moj izbor: Marija i Zdenko”, which explores my experience of building a life in Croatia.
Watch the documentary on the official Glas Hrvatske YouTube channel → CLICK HERE
My journey as a woman pregnant after loss
My journey to motherhood was nothing like I imagined. It included recurrent (second trimester) pregnancy loss, high-risk pregnancies, the Zagreb earthquake, the COVID pandemic, and more uncertainty than I ever thought I could endure.
My husband and I experienced two heartbreaking second-trimester losses. With these losses occurring a year apart, the thought of getting pregnant again seemed insurmountable.
When I did conceive (my first rainbow baby), fear overshadowed much of the pregnancy. I was often in constant fear of something going wrong, detaching from the pregnancy as a way of protecting myself emotionally and isolating from friends—thus feeling deeply alone.
The birth of our first daughter brought immense joy, but also another unexpected challenge. Just hours after delivery, the 5.5 Zagreb earthquake forced us to evacuate the hospital while I held my newborn in my arms. We brought her home into the uncertainty of aftershocks and the first COVID lockdown, where survival mode quickly replaced the tranquil postpartum experience I had imagined.
Two more high-risk pregnancies followed, each bringing its own fears and challenges. Along the way, my mother’s brain surgery, months of bed rest, and the demands of raising young children while pregnant again after those losses continually reminded me that life rarely unfolds according to plan.
Those years changed me. They taught me that courage isn’t the absence of fear—it’s choosing to keep moving forward despite it.
They also deepened my empathy and allow me to support women navigating pregnancy after loss with genuine understanding. While every journey is different, no one should have to walk it alone.
Who I am today
I believe honesty, delivered with compassion, is one of the greatest gifts we can offer each other.
After five pregnancies in five years—and several years of breastfeeding, sleep deprivation, and survival mode—I finally learned to prioritize my own well-being instead of chasing the impossible standards of being a “supermom.”
Getting coached myself helped me replace perfectionism with healthy striving, people-pleasing with assertiveness, and self-criticism with self-compassion.
I got my first tattoos at 42.
I never imagined how many kids I’d have, and now that I have three I wish I’d started sooner—before perimenopause, spinal surgery and going so grey!
I’m picky about my coffee, love both hosting friends and disappearing into the anonymity of airports and big cities, and still secretly think acting would be fun.
I’m a quick-tempered Aries and a bit of a drama queen—but not in the attention-seeking kind of way.
I don’t miss living in America, but I’m deeply grateful for the childhood it gave me.
No, I don’t speak English with my kids. (I know, I should.)
Before kids, I was pet-owner to a dog, a cat and birds—now just a million or so honey bees.
Of course, I love all things psychology related.
My values
authenticity
Showing up honestly and fully in every situation, without the need to prove or perform.
hope
Envisioning a brighter future and believing in change, even in the face of uncertainty.
wisdom
Using experience and insight to make thoughtful, meaningful choices.
compassion
Meeting others with empathy & recognizing their struggles without judgment.
balance
Balancing time, energy, and focus across all areas of life, in line with personal values.
How do my values show up in my coaching approach?
My values
authenticity
Showing up honestly and fully in every situation, without the need to prove or perform.
hope
Envisioning a brighter future and believing in change, even in the face of uncertainty.
wisdom
Using experience and insight to make thoughtful, meaningful choices.
compassion
Meeting others with empathy & recognizing their struggles without judgment.
balance
Balancing time, energy, and focus across all areas of life, in line with personal values.
How do my values show up in my coaching approach?
My journey to coaching
My path to coaching didn’t begin with a clear plan — it began with a lens.
Studying psychology gave me a new way of understanding people: not just their actions, but the emotions, experiences, and beliefs that shape them.
Where it began
After graduating, I became a teacher—the logical next step at the time. But in the classroom, I discovered that my greatest impact wasn’t simply teaching content. It was connecting with young people as individuals: helping them understand themselves, build resilience, and make intentional choices about their futures.
I saw how much they needed a space where they felt safe, heard, and free from judgment or unsolicited advice.
Finding my way to coaching
Later, while working in administration, I realized how much I missed that direct human connection. Encouraged by friends in the U.S., I explored life coaching and enrolled in an internationally accredited youth resilience coaching program through the Youth Coaching Institute (USA).
At the beginning, I only vaguely understood what coaching truly was. Then I experienced it—and it changed the way I saw growth.
What coaching taught me
Coaching isn’t about giving people answers. It’s about creating the conditions for them to discover their own. Through deep listening, powerful questions, and a structured process, I witnessed my coaching clients reach clarity, take meaningful action, and live intentionally.
When coaching became personal
While balancing work and a family of five, coaching became personal. It introduced me to self-compassion, helped me embrace intentional self-care, and most recently supported me through the fear and uncertainty of major cervical spine surgery.
The fear didn’t disappear—but my relationship with it changed. Through acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-based action, I learned to move forward with trust rather than fear.
When coaching became personal
While balancing work and a family of five, coaching became personal. It introduced me to self-compassion, helped me embrace intentional self-care, and most recently supported me through the fear and uncertainty of major cervical spine surgery.
The fear didn’t disappear—but my relationship with it changed. Through acceptance, cognitive defusion, and values-based action, I learned to move forward with trust rather than fear.
That is what I offer through Salixa: the opportunity to shift your perspective, reconnect with yourself, and choose how the light falls on your story.
Why Salixa?
The willow catkin (Salix caprea) symbolizes resilience, new beginnings, and gentle strength—blooming early in spring, its soft catkins endure harsh conditions. In coaching, it mirrors the gentle growth and untapped potential of today’s youth in times of intense pressure and uncertainty.
According to a Polish legend…
…long ago, a mother cat wept by a river as her kittens struggled in the water. The nearby pussy willows swept their branches in to rescue them and the kittens clung tightly to the soft fur-like buds of the willow and were safely brought to shore. The story reminds us of the willows empathy and the power of care in the face of hardship.
Thoughts are things—not who you are.
Our minds produce thousands of thoughts daily — not all of them true. Resilience begins when you notice your thoughts without believing every one. You are not your self-doubt or your inner critic. They are experiences, not your identity.
Clients about me
During our sessions, I felt seen and heard. Marija’s energy was exactly what I needed as I felt safe talking about my private issues. I’m very grateful for choosing her as my resilience coach.
—Tina M. (27)
Coaching brought me to shed new light on a topic I thought I had already chewed over. Marija is easy-going which makes it easy to instantly click with her and which I think is crucial for coaching to be successful.
—D.B. (29)