About Masha Rusanov
I'm so glad you are here!
People often tell me they didn't realize how much they were holding until they put it down.
Hi! I'm Masha. I work with people who can feel that something is off but can't quite see what it is yet. Or maybe they see it, but are not sure what to do next. I am a mediator at heart, and I will help you resolve your internal or relational conflict to live in integrity and alignment with who you are and the world around you.
Why I'm Here
I know what it feels like to sense that something is off and not know what to do about it. I've been there, more than once, and in more than one area of my life.
My first marriage ended. I did a complete pivot of my career. Twice. I went through the experience of figuring out what it means to be a part of a blended family. I faced some challenging conflicts within my extended family that needed to be worked through. This "working through" led me to deeply study human behavior patterns and how communication breakdowns happen through my master's program in conflict resolution
Going through changes is never easy, but it in the end, it usually is worth it. My marriage evolved into one of the closest friendships I have. We both found partners who are a much better fit. Our kids gained siblings. My career became the work I was always moving toward without knowing it. It didn't feel like it during the turbulent times, but my life reorganized itself into something I couldn't have designed on purpose.
My Guiding Philosophy
Most conflict interventions focus on the surface: what was said, who did what, what the policy requires. My work goes one level deeper, into the assumptions, patterns, and communication defaults that created the situation in the first place.
The framework I developed for this is the Exhale–Explore–Engage® method. A pause to get out of reactivity. A genuine look at what is true, not just what feels true in the moment. Then a deliberate choice about how to move forward from clarity rather than from fear or habit.
It sounds simple. In practice, for individuals and organizations alike, it's the part that almost never happens without support.
What I know after years of this work: most people and most teams aren't confused about their situation. They're confused about themselves. Once that clarity comes, the path forward usually becomes obvious.
The Expertise Behind My Guidance
I've spent years studying formally what I was already living personally. And I've spent decades applying my knowledge and experience with clients.
On paper:
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M.A. in Negotiation, Conflict Resolution, and Peacebuilding (CSUDH)
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Associate Certified Coach, ICF
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DCA Certified ADR Divorce Coach (Divorce Coaching Academy)
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Certified Domestic Violence Peer Counselor (Walnut Avenue Women's Center)
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New Ways for Families Certified Coach (High Conflict Institute)
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Trained Mediator and Day-of-Court Volunteer Mediator (Project Sentinel)
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Lifestyle and Wellness Coaching (Harvard Medical School Executive Education)
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Martha Beck Wayfinder Life Coach
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Author, Repatterned: Your Guide to Transforming Conflict with the Exhale-Explore-Engage Method