Carla Marques
Senior Pre-Retirement Coach & Wellness Expert
Helping professionals navigate the emotional journey of reforma and discover meaningful purpose in Portugal's most beautiful regions.
More Than 14 Years Guiding Life's Biggest Transition
I've spent the last 14 years helping over 800 professionals across Portugal prepare for one of life's most significant moments — the shift from career to what comes next. It's not just about stopping work. Reforma touches everything: identity, purpose, daily structure, relationships, even how you see yourself.
My journey into this work started personally. Watching my own parents struggle with the emotional void after retirement sparked something in me — a need to understand why so many people find this transition harder than expected, and what actually helps. I pursued formal training in positive psychology at Universidade Católica Portuguesa and specialized coaching credentials through the International Coach Federation. What I've learned isn't just theory. It's built on real conversations with real people navigating real uncertainty.
I work differently than most coaches. I don't follow a generic formula. Instead, I focus on the emotional and psychological dimensions of reforma — the grief that sometimes surfaces, the identity reconstruction that needs to happen, and the discovery of new directions that actually align with who you are. My clients in Cascais, Sintra, and across Portugal tell me that this approach works because it acknowledges the complexity. Reforma isn't a problem to solve. It's a transition to prepare for, and a chapter to shape intentionally.
Education & Professional Recognition
Master's in Positive Psychology
Universidade Católica Portuguesa. Specialized research in retirement transition psychology and life satisfaction frameworks. Thesis focused on identity reconstruction during major life transitions.
Certified Retirement Transition Coach
International Coach Federation (ICF). Advanced training in life coaching methodologies, emotional preparation frameworks, and purpose discovery processes. Active ICF member since 2014.
Wellness & Behavioral Change Specialist
10+ years in corporate wellness program design and personal behavior coaching. Developed frameworks for building sustainable routines and integrating wellness into post-career life.
Portuguese Association of Life Coaches
Board-recognized specialist. Regular speaker at professional development conferences on pre-retirement preparation and emotional wellness. Featured in national publications on reforma coaching.
Four Core Areas of Focus
My approach combines evidence-based psychology with practical guidance tailored to the Portuguese context and lifestyle.
Emotional Preparation for Reforma
Reforma triggers real emotional responses — sometimes grief, sometimes relief, often both. I help clients understand these feelings, work through identity shifts, and build confidence in this new chapter before it arrives.
Purpose Discovery & New Direction
You're not starting from zero. You have decades of skills, interests, and values. I help clients recognize these, connect them to meaningful activities, and shape a post-career life that feels intentional and fulfilling.
Building Meaningful Routines
Structure matters. Without it, even wonderful plans fall apart. I work with clients to design daily and weekly routines that support their values, maintain their wellbeing, and create the rhythm that makes life feel meaningful.
Wellness Coaching in Cascais & Sintra
Movement, nutrition, sleep, stress management — these aren't separate from purpose. They're foundational. I help clients integrate wellness practices that sustain energy, mental clarity, and long-term health during this transition.
How I Work
Evidence-Based, Deeply Human
I don't believe in generic advice. My approach combines research in positive psychology, behavioral change, and life transitions with genuine conversations about what's happening in your life right now. You're not a case study — you're someone navigating a real transition with real complexity.
Every client's journey looks different. Some people are excited about reforma but anxious about losing structure. Others feel relieved to leave work but struggle to imagine what comes next. I meet people where they actually are, not where I think they should be.
Practical & Personalized
Understanding yourself is important. But it doesn't matter if insights don't translate into action. I help clients move from clarity to concrete next steps — whether that's redesigning your week, exploring volunteer opportunities, or simply learning to say no to obligations that don't serve you.
Working in Cascais and Sintra, I understand the specific context of Portuguese life and values. I'm not importing American self-help frameworks. I'm building guidance that actually fits how you live, what matters to you, and what reforma means in your world.
Resources I've Created
In-depth guides on the topics I work with every day.
Emotional Preparation for Reforma: What to Expect
Understanding the emotional landscape of retirement transition. What feelings are normal, how to work through identity shifts, and why emotional preparation matters as much as financial planning.
Read guideBuilding Meaningful Routines After Career Ends
How to design a daily structure that supports wellbeing and purpose. Templates for weekly rhythms, strategies for maintaining motivation, and the science behind why routine matters.
Read guideFinding New Direction: Skills You Didn't Know You Had
A practical framework for discovering transferable skills and passions that can shape your post-career life. How to recognize what you're actually good at and what matters to you.
Read guideWellness Coaching in Cascais: Movement, Mind & Longevity
Why physical wellness is inseparable from life satisfaction during retirement. Practical approaches to movement, nutrition, and stress management that actually fit into real life.
Read guideWhat My Work Looks Like in Practice
Professionals guided through retirement transitions across Portugal
Years specializing in pre-retirement coaching and life transitions
Core focus areas: emotional prep, purpose discovery, routines, wellness
My clients aren't looking for quick fixes. They're professionals who've built careers, raised families, and managed complex responsibilities. They're thoughtful about life. What they need is guidance that honors that thoughtfulness while helping them navigate genuine uncertainty.
I work through one-on-one coaching sessions that typically span several months. We start with clarity — understanding your actual values, concerns, and vision. Then we move into the practical work: building routines, exploring opportunities, preparing emotionally for what's ahead. My clients tell me that this combination of deep reflection plus concrete action is what actually creates change.
Some people work with me in Cascais or Sintra in person. Others connect remotely from across Portugal. The depth of the work doesn't change — just the location. What matters is that you're getting support specifically designed for this transition, from someone who understands both the psychology and the reality of what reforma means.
About Maltiva Unipessoal Lda
Maltiva Unipessoal Lda is the professional entity through which I conduct my coaching practice and research. It's where I develop frameworks, create educational content, and work directly with clients navigating pre-retirement transitions. Everything I do — whether it's one-on-one coaching, writing guides, or speaking at conferences — is rooted in real experience and continuous learning about what actually helps people thrive during major life changes.
Ready to Explore Your Transition?
Whether you're 2 years from reforma or already navigating it, there's value in having a guide who understands both the psychology and the practicalities.
Available for coaching sessions in Cascais and Sintra, and remote work across Portugal. First conversations are always free — no obligation, just clarity on whether we're a good fit.