Marta Badia, Systematic Therapist & Psychological Counsellor

Marta Badia (a Taurus) was born in Barcelona and lives in Vilassar de Mar. She describes herself as ‘a happy mother, conscientious friend and big life lover’. Her great passion and dedication has always been linked to communication and despite “wearing” the title of Systemic Therapist, she considers herself an enemy of labels and she enjoys letting her clients choose how to say who she is. 

Under the umbrella of the Socratic philosophy in which she strongly believes, every day she learns from her clients and her clients also learn something from her. She combines her activity in Socratis with ICC – Institut Català del Coaching, an entity linked to training and knowledge in emotional coaching and psychosocial consulting for leadership and change management in organisations. She is  a teacher at UPC a the Faculty for crisis management in the navigation bridge and at Attycas Genus Consulting for conflict resolution.

Since I was a little girl, I was always told that I’d get into trouble unnecessarily. It’s certainly not that I was a problem child. Rather, I’d go wherever I saw conflicts or fights. And although many times no one asked me to be there, I felt the need to contribute doing something. I think I liked living in the chaos to find ways to “untie the knots.” That feeling has been with me all my life so that, along the way, long before I knew what the definition of my life purpose was, I wandered around looking for a way to express myself through music, dance and writing.

I started with classical dance, then modern dance and over the years I have experimented with different modalities, some of them still alive today. I also studied singing and piano and for a while I was the singer in a jazz band, nothing serious, but very rewarding and satisfying for the need to express myself.

My life at the age of 20 took a turn when my parents went to live in Argentina and suddenly I found myself alone in front of a future that was not very well defined for me. It was time to face my ghosts. I started studying business for tourism. I learned three foreign languages, I traveled a lot and worked as an assistant for American TV companies when they came to Barcelona. This gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizons, meet people from all over the globe and live very interesting experiences. However, I couldn’t find what connected with me.

At the age of 19 I started working for the Olympic Committee at the Barcelona ’92 Olympic Games. It was three years of madness and learning, after which I studied communications and public relations. It was there that I started on the fast-paced ladder of organizational communication, which gave me 20 years experience that gradually led me to the world of personal development.

In parallel, my emotional life went through different moments. In my 30s I met the father of my son and started a period of ups and downs that, although it gave me the greatest treasure, my son Eric, it also meant living a difficult period in which I learned to discover what was in me. Management of possibilities.

My relationship did not work out and after my divorce. I began a beautiful and fulfilling stage where my new marital status coincided with my focus on my life purpose. My profession was consolidating but I was aware that I was increasingly moving from being the task-focused project leader to become the people-centered project leader.

My curiosity, my active listening and my absolute determination to live from my life purpose, gradually led me to holistic communication, where people have been the protagonist. In my experience, people are the cause or the derivative of any situation or conflict and, for this reason, I decided to specialize in human resources, personal, professional and family systemic coaching. This reflection, my professional commitment and my absolute belief in human potential, lead me inexorably to this field: to the individual. Whether it is a question of dealing with work or life issues.

In recent years, I have focused not only on Executive and Management Coaching, but also on systemic guidance, both organizational, family and educational, for change processes, self-esteem improvement and conflict resolution. All this, from disciplines such as Neuro Linguistic Programming, emotional management, applied Positive Psychology, Systemic Coaching by Strengths and Values, and breathwork therapies that together have given me a broader vision and provide me with resources to accompany people and organizations.

This is how I created and designed the brand Socratis Essentia, with the aim of providing service to people, the family and the educational system, with a special focus on the reinforcement of self-esteem, change processes, adolescence, career planning and improvement of personal and professional development, and all that from the principles of emotional ecology.

Far from the standards that suggest seemingly magical solutions, I firmly believe that we do not have a life but that we are part of it. That is the magic! To live here and now a human experience that we can squeeze and share to the last drop and that constantly opens bridges for us to evolve. We are a love story and we have the daily privilege of writing meaningful stories that nurture us and serve as a legacy for humanity.

Every morning we have a new opportunity.

I am a revolutionary woman, who loves unconditionally, to return others to their natural essence.

Quick Fire Questions

Fave restaurant in Maresme?
One of the restaurants I like the most is Verdaguer in Vilassar de Mar. A source of pleasures to the palate in a small space. Menu during lunchtime during the week, and spectacular dinners on weekends.

Best Weekend Activity in Maresme?
You can take a guided tour in several modernist buildings that the architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch built in Mataró, and in the neighbouring town where he spent his summer holidays, Argentona. In the afternoon in summer and in the morning in winter, you can climb up to Burriac Castle where you can enjoy wonderful views of the Maresme from Cabrera de Mar.The next day we can enjoy the wonderful beach of Canet de Mar, eat in Arenys de Mar in La Llotja de Mar, in the same port with fresh fish in a relaxed and family atmosphere and in the afternoon, take a walk through the Park of Montnegre i del Corredor (Arenys de Munt).

Friendliest shop in Maresme?
One of the stores I feel a personal weakness for is Mi&Ca in Vilassar de Mar. A women’s clothing store with very special designs, some by designers who are just starting out and who have disruptive, original ideas, and with a chic touch. The attention is very warm and close and the accessories are also very fun and original.

What would surprise people the most when they come to Maresme?
What is most surprising about the Maresme is the cultural richness of its villages, its preserved medieval heritage, the flowers and crops (especially peas and strawberries), the extraordinary gastronomy (for example the Michelin-starred Sant Pau restaurant in St Pol de Mar), the natural parks, the thermal waters of Caldes d’Estrac, and an endless number of beaches with watersports and beautiful sunrises.

For more information about the therapy that Marta offers through SOCRATIS Essentia, visit her website, Instagram, Linkedin or contact her directly by email marta@martabadia.com. Find out more about Marta’s counselling in organisations on the Institut Catala del Coaching website, Instagram or email marta@institutcataladelcoaching.com.

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