
Women Redefining Wellbeing. A conversation with Marina Amaral and Dr. Joana Costa of B-Life Clinic.
At a time when health has become both a buzzword and a business, true wellbeing can feel elusive – especially for women navigating careers, caregiving, and self-expectation. At B-Life Clinic, Marina Amaral and Dr. Joana Costa are quietly shifting that narrative. One rooted in personal awakening, clinical depth, and the kind of care that doesn’t just treat symptoms but honors the whole human.
We sat down with the two women behind B-Life to explore how their paths converged – and what they’ve learned about burnout, embodiment, and the courage it takes to return to yourself.
On beginnings and the spark behind their work:
Marina Amaral:
I was eleven when everything changed.
An early diagnosis of hypothyroidism forced Marina to reconsider everything—diet, movement, mindset. What began as a personal shift became a lifelong fascination with healing. “It wasn’t about discipline,” she says. “It became natural.” Years later, after burning out as a tax attorney, she realized that surface-level wellness wasn’t enough. “Even with therapy and exercise, I had neglected my emotional and spiritual wellbeing. That was the turning point.”
Dr. Joana Costa:
Joana’s path was more linear—at first. Inspired by her physician father, she always knew she’d become a doctor. But it was while working in a vulnerable public health setting that something cracked open. I realized I was just gluing their pieces together. Managing symptoms in an unhealthy body. Her curiosity led her to global study and integrative medicine. That’s when I knew I had to work at the root.

On what their journeys have taught them:
Marina:
Perfection is not the goal. Presence is. Real transformation begins when we release ourselves from the impossible standards we carry. I don’t believe in failure. I believe in direction.
Joana:
If you don’t create boundaries and take time for yourself, your enthusiasm and creativity plateau. I try to bring that awareness to the women I work with—how health is also about energy, mindset, and self-regard.
I don’t believe in failure. I believe in direction. Closed doors are often signs that something truer is calling.
A defining moment that reshaped their understanding of health:
Marina:
Burnout at 26. Five episodes in total. Each one a deeper reminder that doing the ‘right’ things—eating well, going to therapy—wasn’t enough without inner alignment. That experience led me to build something of my own.
Joana:
Turning 40 with three children and a demanding career brought its own reckoning. In your 20s and 30s, you can do it all. From 40 on, you have to participate consciously in your wellbeing. That was a defining realization.
What does feeling well truly mean today?
Marina:
Authenticity. I can’t feel well if I have to silence parts of myself. Wellness is wholeness—bringing all of yourself to the table with clarity, courage, and joy.
Joana:
Feeling well is sincere and guilt-free. It’s being immersed in the moment, mindful of the details. It’s the most inspirational state we have access to.

Advice for women seeking reconnection—with their bodies and their purpose:
Marina:
Speak to yourself like you would to your closest friend. Change grows from kindness, not judgment.
Joana:
Don’t forget to live while pursuing your perfect body. Balance and realistic goals matter more than ideals. What even is the perfect body?
We craft our health with our daily choices.
And when things get overwhelming?
Marina:
I pause. I do nothing. I make space for clarity to return – because it always does.
Joana:
I journal, I listen to music that brings back good memories. And I hold on to faith that better times will come.