Mariah Hoffman is a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who brings eclectic experience and a deep sense of compassion to her work. Mariah is dedicated to helping people access their own authenticity and self-awareness through meaningful connections and insightful perspectives. Mariah has always been a creative learner and educator. Before her work as a therapist, she established strong roots in Democratic education, where she championed the principles of autonomy and respect for young people. This dedication has been a guiding principle, not only in her professional life, also in parenting, as she raises her three children, ages 11, 15, and 19. Mariah believes in the power of reverence for the natural process, creating a space of trust and acceptance for all of those around her to explore and grow. With her unique blend of skills and experiences, Mariah inspires and supports those with whom she works, helping them to lead more authentic and fulfilling lives. www.mariahflorencetherapy.com
Opportunities
At Zena Democratic School, we pride ourselves on offering our students endless opportunities; they are free to pursue their interests, dabble in this and that, or to fall head over heels into a subject without interruption – for as long as the interest remains, or to follow it wherever it may lead.
But the most valuable opportunity we offer students is the time and space to discover who they are. Students at ZDS have time to be, to think, to talk, to play, to discover what they enjoy and appreciate and, equally importantly, what they don’t enjoy or appreciate. We offer an opportunity to practice crucial skills such as motivation, persistence, articulation, and humility, to be part of a democratic community, and to experience acceptance, cooperation, recognition, and celebration. This unstructured time is where the real beauty of the ZDS experience lies and where the most important learning usually takes place.
However, many people do love content and instruction, and there is plenty of organized and formal activity at school. Students often organize this on their own, or with the assistance or leadership of a Staff Member, but they may also request the Programming Clerk to facilitate whatever kind of instruction or activity they’d like to have, from basic reading instruction to skateboarding lessons to sex education; every topic under the sun is theoretically available for our students to explore and to receive instruction upon.