Marianna Marra

Marianna Marra has been a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist for over 25 years. Marianna has combined her education as a therapist, and her specializations and passion as a performing artist to help many young students achieve their long and short term goals.

OWN HOPE is a non-fiction journey told in a collection of success stories about the children who lived at a residential treatment facility along the Hudson River. The children were ages 5- 18 and from all five boroughs of New York. Their hardship, challenges and life experiences as abused or orphaned children was delicately taken into consideration when this dedicated therapist came to New York to help each child realize his inner strength, passions, and talents.

At this special location where the stories of this book were born, the longest running, largest, all children’s circus in the United States was presented for 42 years. The therapeutic value of the Circus Arts and the Performing Arts propelled these youngsters to reach higher than they ever thought possible.

Miss Marra produced over 35 different acts in the circus and had a very successful touring dance troupe. This journey was filled with experiences that helped the children to believe in their own success. This book was a direct result of a thirteen year commitment to the children. Marianna is grateful for her upbringing and her education. OWN HOPE will help you to believe you are capable of influencing others to achieve in a positive manner. The experiences of enhancing others success, the dreams of others, and the spoken desired goals of the children in this book are what mattered most to the author. There is cherished laughter, personal growth, tears, celebration, and a delicate yet strong love for all the children in her stories. Miss Marra has considered this journey a most indelible experience in her life as a therapist. She currently resides in Baiting Hollow, NY

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Books by Marianna Marra

An inspirational memoir about helping children in a therapeutic milieu achieve their goals through the Performing Arts.