Inês Magalhães entered my life in 2019—perhaps the most challenging year I’ve ever faced. Struggling with the crushing weight of heartbreak and professional burnout, I sought out alternative therapies to help me find my way through the chaos. Our first session was multidimensional, and since then, Inês has been a steady presence in my journey.

Our shared experiences have been rich and varied—from feminine circles and aura readings to family constellations. Whenever I need guidance on my path of self-discovery and growth, Inês is a steadfast presence. Our paths have intertwined as we have both witnessed each other’s growth, and her unwavering support has been a cornerstone of my transformation.

Inês Magalhães is a woman with a capital W—she embodies strength, resilience, unwavering determination and indomitable spirit. She is a warrior who doesn’t hesitate to stand her ground and speak her truth, even if it means defying convention with a hearty “Fuck” and a punch on the table. This is my heartfelt tribute to Inês Magalhães—a truly extraordinary woman whose courage and authenticity continue to inspire me every day.

Today, the voice that is heard is from Inês Magalhães!

What led you to become interested in alternative therapies and what was the moment or experience that awakened you to your true vocation as a therapist?

Alternative therapies have always been present in my life through my parents. Whenever there was a problem, there was a tendency to see if “there was something more” beyond the doctors’ opinions. My awakening did not happen overnight; I created a lot of resistance out of fear and shame. But when I realised that Education would not fulfil me, my path opened up to therapies.

My awakening did not happen overnight; I created a lot of resistance out of fear and shame. But when I realised that Education was not going to fulfil me, my path opened up through therapies.

You trained in Educational Sciences. How was your journey from that training to establishing yourself as a therapist? What were the biggest challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?

The journey was tough. I never liked the course; my goal was to get into Psychology. Since I couldn’t, I entered the Faculty of Psychology through Educational Sciences, intending to switch courses. The first challenge was dealing with frustration and reconstructing a new professional path. Then, dealing with deep depression almost made me quit the course and my social life. What saved me at the time were the hazing rituals and small academic gatherings that kept me afloat. At the same time, I started investing in reiki sessions and energy-healing therapies to overcome depression symptoms. In the last year of the course, I left one subject unfinished, and in a frank conversation with the teacher who taught that subject, she opened my horizons. Her name was Helena Damião, and she told me: “Your potential will never be seen through this course, and the only area that might bring you success through Educational Sciences is training trainers, which you don’t like.” It was that year that I had to “lose” to finish the course that I started investing in personal and spiritual development training. Therefore, I believe the year I “lost” in the university bore fruit in my professional transition.

Your grandfather Miguel was a key figure in your professional journey. What impact did he have on your career and your decision to follow this path?

In his last years, my grandfather lived with me. We had many conversations about work and the future. He gradually started planting the idea of self-employment in my mind. When I decided to move forward with therapies, I had no space, my parents didn’t agree, and I had no money. He offered me his house to start, gave me 300€, and said, “If you are going to do good for people, that’s what matters.” And basically, that’s how on January 4th, 2018, I presented my project to the world.

The pandemic impacted your practice and your online presence in continuing to help people. What advice would you give to other women who want to start their own business or practice?

My main advice is: Don’t focus on the money initially. Focus on the pleasure of what you are creating and developing. Invest in studying business to build a sustainable structure that doesn’t rob your health and well-being. Work a lot on the emotional side; it is crucial for the days when you want to give up everything. And, don’t sell something you don’t believe in.

Inês Magalhães guides women to transform their lives through their pain.

Within alternative therapies, you have specialised in several areas, such as Aura Reading and Healing, Family Constellations, Psychogenealogy, and Rebirthing, among others. Can you talk a bit about each of these areas and how they contributed to your healing?

Aura Reading will always be the therapy that transformed my life. I was 16 when I had my first reading, and all the information it brought me gave me strength and vision for my future. This therapy focuses on the energetic analysis of our field and shows us all the information from the past influencing our present moment. It ends up being a tool for guidance and awareness in our lives.
Family Constellation and Psychogenealogy came into my journey with endometriosis. These were the two tools that sustained all the work I did for two years, preparing for surgery and later being able to get pregnant. They allow us to study the impact of family trauma on our lives, helping us discover what we are representing in our family system and the repeating patterns we bring into our lives based on our ancestors’ experiences.
Rebirthing started as a hobby. I’m fascinated by birth and intrauterine life, and I began studying various techniques that could take us to our origin. In that process, I discovered a fascination with working with water and continued to develop practice in this area. Rebirthing essentially uses breathing techniques and bodily sensations to lead us to trauma or conflict that needs to be released. It can be done in warm water, cold water, or out of the water.

How do you integrate the various therapies and techniques you master to approach the human being as a whole?

We are not just flesh, just energy, or just a set of information. When I look at and care for a person as a whole, I have to look at their family history, the way they came into the world, their childhood, their energetic health, and especially their level of consciousness. If we don’t do this, the person cannot absorb the therapy’s effect or even have their problem solved. Viewing the human being as a whole means respecting each person’s mental stages and guiding them within that level of consciousness.

One of your missions is the fight against toxic spirituality. What is “toxic spirituality” for you, what motivated you to fight against it, and how do you identify practices or beliefs that you consider harmful?

Unfortunately, due to the financial fraud, my parents suffered trying to help me when I was 10 years old, and the dependency and manipulation I experienced with a therapist who used my weaknesses and vulnerabilities to manipulate me through fear.

Toxic spirituality is deeply rooted in the 80s, where there is a tendency to place us as victims and “sufferers” of external influences. This approach uses fear as a trigger and creates a dependency between the therapist and the client. The person believes their health and well-being come only through the therapist.
Toxic spirituality sells “the miracle and the easiest way,” creates conflicts within the family and friendships by always putting someone as the villain, focuses a lot on energy work, and the therapist is the “guru” with the power to solve all kinds of problems. These practices and thoughts are dangerous due to the number of psychoses, marital problems, and physical and mental illnesses that develop in parallel. Not to mention the large sums of money lost in this network of toxicity.

In your quest for healing, you ended up becoming dependent on therapists. At what point in your life did you become aware of this situation, and how do you address this issue with your clients?

When I needed help, that person disappeared. I didn’t have the emotional structure to manage the anxiety and fears that assailed me at the time. It was at that exact moment that I realised that in two years, I hadn’t created a healthy structure and that the problems still existed. I had only created superficial security in a person I turned to whenever there was an SOS.
I encourage my clients to see me only as a compass, someone who will provide tools and awareness to better manage daily challenges. Hence, I advocate investing in knowledge (courses, training, books) so that the person acts with maturity and awareness towards life’s challenges without needing a therapist to survive.

I encourage my clients to see me only as a compass, someone who will provide tools and awareness to better manage daily challenges. Hence, I advocate investing in knowledge (courses, training, books) so that the person acts with maturity and awareness towards life’s challenges without needing a therapist to survive.

Tell me a bit about your therapeutic approach, specifically your refusal to work with a sense of urgency.

For me, working with a sense of urgency is working with an inflamed person disconnected from emotions and discernment. That is, we are in the presence of a momentary reaction that is not reality. I am not a dentist, physiotherapist, or a hospital centre to work with a sense of urgency. We must respect the reaction time to a situation for the body and mind to process. You don’t start grief work during the denial phase; you don’t begin a personal development journey based on the betrayal you discovered today. We need TIME to absorb things; when we seek help in urgency, we are avoiding FEELING.

The discovery of deep endometriosis sparked a desire to help, accompany and empower women through their grief processes.

Your experience with endometriosis influenced your therapeutic approach. Can you talk a bit about that and when and with what purpose the “Mulheres Reais” (Real Women) project arose?

Endometriosis was a professional turning point, and it started a search for the root of my problems. I was tired of always experiencing the same sensations and situations. Mulheres Reais emerged from the desire to help women work on their femininity, create a secure positioning in their lives, and help them work on their territories: energetic, emotional, knowledge, and mind. So that true femininity remains healthy, and they can live a lighter and more aligned life.

What strategies do you use to help and empower women facing issues like infertility, pregnancy loss, and other reproductive health issues?

I don’t work with closed protocols because each woman is different and at a different level of consciousness. What I do is align the approach of family constellations with techniques of ancestral female healing to lead women to their point of self-healing. Working with women’s health is very complex because we are extremely sensitive and emotional.

You recently became a mother. How has this personal “rebirth” impacted your life, and how do you balance motherhood with your therapeutic practice and the continuous development of your career?

I’m still learning. At the moment, the focus is on my daughter and being present in these early years of learning. Therefore, I often put my professional life aside. Balancing the two worlds involves managing guilt and expectations. Some days I feel like I’ve failed, and other days I feel proud of managing to balance everything.
Motherhood has had a significant impact on creating boundaries, managing time, and frequently saying “no.” I am more selective in my social life and with whom I choose to invest my time. Professionally, it has made me value my time and therapeutic actions more.

Motherhood has had a significant impact on creating boundaries, managing time, and frequently saying “no.” I am more selective in my social life and with whom I choose to invest my time.

What message would you like to leave to women facing challenges similar to those you have encountered and who are seeking healing and transformation in their lives?

To be as honest as possible: it is tough and requires investment from you. If you truly want to face a challenge or achieve healing, you must be willing to confront your “bath of shit” and accept it. Only then you will be able to change behaviours and open your body to transformation.

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