Draft:Mia Cara Cosco

Mia Cara Cosco (born September 1, 1995) is a Canadian writer and advocate for psychedelic therapy, research, mental health, and moving through grief.

Early life and education

Mia Cara Cosco was born in Vancouver, BC, to Canadian parents. Her father, Randall Cosco, of Sicilian Roman Catholic descent, is a photographer and photography professor at Focal Point in Vancouver. Her mother, Jodi Lynn Cosco (née Schmidt), of Swedish descent, was a seven-time marathon runner, writer, and editor. Jodi Lynn passed away on November 4, 2002, when Mia was seven years old.

Mia's father frequently featured her in cover shoots for publications such as The Georgia Straight and The Courier. She also appeared as a child actor in a Ronald McDonald Charity advertisement. During her education at Eric Hamber High School, Mia acted in seven theatre plays and directed one.

Mia graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from the University of British Columbia (UBC) in 2017, entering the program with a GPA of 3.9.

Career and Advocacy

Mia's first major modeling opportunity came when she was discovered by Jacqueline Conoir while represented by Charles Stuart, walking in several runway shows for her from 2014 to 2016. She was photographed by notable fashion photographers such as Benjamin Kwan, Patrick Parenteau, and Neil Pelman, and collaborated with Jon Paul Holt of Avant Garde Hair Salon and Sasso Moda.

Simultaneously, Mia embarked on a varied professional journey. She worked as a Behavioral Interventionist with children on the spectrum from 2014 to 2015, and then as an Office Manager for a therapy office in 2016. From 2016 to 2019, she served as a Project Manager at Elevation Capital, having earned her Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.

Throughout her career, Mia has been a dedicated volunteer for various mental health nonprofits since 2014, including MAPS Canada, The Belong Center, The BC Centre for Ability, and The Writers' Exchange. During the pandemic, she operated Show & Tell Agency, providing marketing and branding services to businesses primarily focused on psychedelic therapy and products.

Writing

Since 2022, Mia has been focused on writing her debut novel, which unveils the GRIEF methodology. Inspired to write her memoir during a women's group following her second Burning Man experience in 2022 where she served as a Trip Sitter for The Zendo Project, Mia's book will be a self-help nonfiction work. It will explore the psychology of grief, mental health, and psychedelic research and therapy over seven chapters with five collaborative worksheets.

Mia is known to her audience on social media for her extensive experiences with psychedelics. She has participated in ayahuasca ceremonies 20 times across the US, Canada, and Mexico, has experienced a 10-gram psilocybin dose, and is a strong advocate for MDMA-assisted psychotherapy, particularly for long-term relationships.

Personal Life

Mia was romantically linked to Steve Curtis, investor and founder of Elevation Capital, from 2016 to 2019. She then dated Zack Embree, a Leadership Coach and former filmmaker in Vancouver, from 2019 to 2020. Currently, Mia has been in a relationship with Rod Moshtagi since 2023, a graduate student at Harvard studying public policy, and they reside in Cambridge, MA.