Magda Barceló

Life coach & poet

In my previous roles in the corporate world, and as a consultant in diversity & inclusion, I have seen the potential of organizations through the development of their people. Over the last fifteen years, I have accompanied a large number of people through coaching, and many others indirectly through publications and talks.

My coaching is structured around two dimensions: growth and awakening. Growth means deepening self-awareness and identifying the core axis of our personality development. It includes cultivating different dimensions or intelligences—cognitive, emotional, relational, and others. Awakening is the practice of disidentifying from our ego—the masks we believe ourselves to be—and living from presence. In the development process, it is common to focus on only one of these dimensions. Many people strive to do psychological work or develop their abilities, yet neglect their being. Others believe that a spiritual or meditative practice alone is enough to resolve their troubles. In my coaching practice I have witnessed extraordinary results when we focus on both: to evolve our consciousness and capacities while awakening to the being we already are.

My ability to help people grow has been nourished by my own growth and professional experience. Like every human being, I have lived through complex experiences—from bullying and family traumas to relationship crises, professional transitions, challenges in becoming a mother, and the demands of parenting, among many others. Each has been my teacher. My coaching practice rests on solid foundations: Integral Coach certification from New Ventures West, Integral Circling certification from the Integral Center in Boulder, developmental coaching training with Rob McNamara, and ongoing professional development.

My ability to support awakening traces back to childhood. From a very early age, I sensed the space and consciousness that permeate everything. Silence, stillness, and the fertile emptiness felt completely natural to me. In my early twenties I began formal meditation through books, followed by yoga practice and, later, the inspiring support of Joel and Michelle Levey’s Buddhist sangha in Seattle. While living in Boulder, I encountered the teachings of Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche and deepened them through Dharma Ocean. Yet my spiritual cradle remains the Catholic tradition, which I embrace and integrate through the Camino de Contemplación.

Poetry is an art form capable of creating an opening in the soul. Any true transformation requires such an opening—a courageous inner “Yes, I want this.” From that bold affirmation, we can meet and move beyond our hidden immunity to change. That’s why I write, recite, and share poetry in my coaching programs, talks, and articles. It’s a powerful and deeply effective way to facilitate the openness needed for genuine, lasting transformation in those I work with.