A Journey of Transformation
Welcome!
I'm Cristina — holistic guide, mentor, and the founder of Samdea.
This is the story of how I chose to create a life rooted in purpose, growth, and authentic connection.
For many years, I followed a traditional path. I had a loving marriage, a home, and a successful career as a sales manager for Fortune 500 companies.
But in 2009, life shook me to the core. Piece by piece, everything I had built fell apart. Choosing to rebuild myself was not easy — but it was the most important decision of my life. Yoga and meditation became my anchors, helping me find healing, clarity, and strength when everything else felt uncertain.
A few years later, I made a bold choice: I left my secure job, earned a second master’s degree, found love again, and moved from Italy to California, ready to start a new chapter.
What did I learn? Happiness cannot depend on what happens outside of us. True transformation occurs when we shift our perspective, connect with our True Self, heal our inner world, and embrace the courage to start over — no matter how many times it’s needed.
In meditation, each bead of the mala brings you one step closer to your intention.
As a guide, my process is very much the same: every session, every microscopic shift in somatic awareness, brings you closer to the person you are ready to become.
Real, lasting change doesn't happen through immense, overwhelming effort—it happens bead by breath, grain by grain, micro-movement by micro-movement.
This is the essence of Samdea and La Via del Mala — The Mala Path. I help people step out of the "control tower" of their analytical minds and return to the safety of their bodies, transforming their lives from the inside out.
But to guide someone into the depths of their nervous system, you must first know how to navigate your own. My method is the distillation of a 20-year journey across law, corporate leadership, and clinical science.
Driven by a profound fascination with human neurobiology and the psyche, I earned my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology in Italy. Over five years of rigorous study, I completed a clinical internship in Germany focused on psychedelic-assisted therapies and wrote my thesis on pioneering approaches for treating depression, graduating in 2023.
Before diving into clinical psychology, I spent nearly twenty years leading large sales teams in the corporate world, using coaching as my primary leadership tool. Yet, my heart was always anchored to something deeper: since my teenage years, yoga and meditation have been my sacred practices—the tools that kept me grounded, regulated, and true to my roots. In 2018, I became a certified yoga teacher, and when the world faced collective burnout in 2020, I left the corporate space to dedicate my life entirely to holistic, body-centered inner work.
I actually began my very first academic steps with a Master’s Degree in Law, wanting to impact the world through justice. But I soon realized that true justice isn't found in navigating rigid external systems—it begins with the deep, internal alignment of the individual.
Today, that is exactly what I cultivate through The Mala Path: a practice to inhabit, step by step, helping you find safety, meaning, and power in your own skin.
The Foundation of My Work
A blend of academic excellence and 20 years of human-centered experience.
To ensure our journey together is safe, grounded, and effective, I bring a unique combination of credentials to my practice:
➡️ Academic Excellence
Clinical Psychology: Master’s Degree (2023).
Law: Master’s Degree (2001).
Marketing & Communication: 12-month Postgraduate Master’s (2001-2002).
➡️ Consciousness & Psychedelic Studies
Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy & Coaching: Advanced 9-month specialized training (2025-2026) with MIND Foundation (Berlin) and Third Wave (California).
Somatic & Depth Wisdom: Trained in Hypnosis and Active Imagination (Jungian Mystery School)
Holotropic Breathwork: Grof Transpersonal Training – currently in a 3-year training program
➡️ Yoga & Somatics
Yoga Certified Teacher (750+ RYT): Odaka Yoga & Zen Warrior.
Trauma-Informed Practice: Advanced training in Somatic Integration, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga (TCTSY-USA), and Yoga for Eating Disorders.
➡️ Leadership & Coaching
Business Expertise: 20 years of experience in Sales and People Management (50+ team members) within for Fortune 500 and global industry leaders.
Leadership Training: 3-year intensive coaching and leadership program (2016).
Sexuality: Certified Consultant (2015).
✨ If you're seeking clarity, healing, or a new perspective, I would be honored to walk this path with you. Let's start this beautiful journey together. ✨
Kata is the name my teachers gave me when I completed the Odaka Yoga Zen Warrior training. It's short for katatsumuri, the Japanese word for snail — a symbol of perseverance, patience, and slow, steady victory. It’s a reminder that every step matters, no matter how small.