Beyond Self-Care: Maxene Magalona on Healing From Within

In a culture where wellness is often reduced to aesthetics, Maxene Magalona is quietly and courageously doing the deeper work. Beyond the curated calm of social media, the actress, yoga and meditation teacher, and mental health advocate is rooted in something far more intimate: lived experience. Her practice is not performative. It is personal, prayerful, and grounded in the belief that healing, while uncomfortable, is an act of devotion to oneself and to God.

Magalona opens up about the origins of her wellness journey, the philosophy that anchors her work, and how she’s shaping safe spaces—both online and in real life—for Filipinos seeking clarity, compassion, and inner growth.

The origins of her wellness practice

Magalona’s path toward mindfulness didn’t begin with incense or intention-setting. It began with emotional distress.

In her late 20s, heading into her early 30s, she found herself grappling with anger she couldn’t explain or contain. “I was exploding,” she recalls. “I wanted to know where that anger was coming from.” What followed was a decision that would change everything: seeking professional help from a psychiatrist. 

That curiosity—about her triggers, her wounds, her inner life—opened the door to a sustained period of self-study. Therapy led to books, reflection, and eventually, a deep love for wellness and healing. “For the longest time, I was so disconnected from myself,” she says. “This path was what really brought me back.”

Having spent over three decades in the entertainment industry, starting in childhood—where approval and performance are currency—wellness became a way to reclaim what she had unconsciously given away: her power, her voice, her inner authority.

Her training, certifications, and philosophical framework

While Magalona has undergone a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) at the School of Healing Arts in Ubud, Bali, she is clear about what defines her credibility—integrity. She does not position herself as a therapist or someone who claims to know everything, but as a guide shaped by experience, devotion, and daily practice.

At the core of her philosophy is presence; staying with emotions rather than running from them. Where she once coped through distraction, partying, or avoidance, she now sits with discomfort, allowing feelings to surface, move through her, and release. “Suffering has a purpose,” she says. “It’s not for nothing.”

Kieran Punay
Double brown sports bra and brown leggings by Lorna Jane

Her framework is holistic and spiritual. Meditation, yoga, journaling, prayer, and solitude are non-negotiables. Reconnecting with God, in particular, helped her rebuild trust in herself and soften the harsh inner voice that once fueled insecurity. “Prayer helped me become my own best friend,” she shares.

This is also why she rejects the idea that wellness must look a certain way. “Some people, especially in this day and age of social media, think that just because they put on nice yoga wear and then put on nice makeup, they think that wellness is about looking perfect or looking aesthetic. But really for me, wellness is holistic. It has to be all aspects of your being.” 

Magalona is deeply wary of turning healing into a performance. For her, wellness is not about fitting into a polished image or chasing constant ease. “People think healing means you’re broken, but you can approach it with gentleness and compassion.” Real self-care, for her, is not about feeling good—it’s about doing what needs to be done, even when it’s uncomfortable.

Personal transformations and inner work

One of the most radical aspects of Magalona’s advocacy is her honesty about boundaries. Early on, she recognized that oversharing was a trauma response. Healing, she learned, also meant discernment. “Privacy is power. Peace is power.” Today, she chooses her words carefully, sharing enough to help, without sacrificing her own safety.

Her daily grounding practice is simple but disciplined: meditation. By staying connected to her inner experience, she stays aligned. “If it feels right, if it feels aligned, then I’ll do it,” she explains. She is no longer here to impress, only to express.

Kieran Punay
White silk asymmetric top by Rhett Eala

This authenticity is what she calls the “highest frequency.” Pretending, she believes, is exhausting. Masks eventually crack. Honesty, on the other hand, lightens the body and the spirit.

Through inner child work, conscious presence, and spiritual reconnection, Magalona has reframed her past—not as something to escape, but as something to learn from. In many ways, her current work is an act of reparenting, giving her younger self the guidance and safety she once needed.

Her digital work and vlogging as education

Magalona’s vlog has become a refuge—a calm, judgment-free zone for those navigating mental health and healing. Created with her partner and creative director, Geoff Gonzalez, every episode is designed to feel therapeutic. “When we watch it, it has to feel calming,” she says. “So the energy carries through to the people watching.”

The topics are deeply intentional: inner child healing, boundaries, mindful eating, mother-daughter relationships, and emotional processing. Each episode is part of a larger journey—one she wishes her younger self had access to. “If she had watched something like this,” Magalona reflects, “maybe she would have been guided differently.”

This is where her shift becomes clear. While she still values creativity and performance, her purpose has expanded. “I’m not just here to entertain. I want to educate.” The child who once dreamed of becoming a teacher has found her way back—this time, with a platform.

Wellness at Allure Destinations 2025

When Allure invited Magalona to teach at an Allure Destinations event, she didn’t arrive with a fixed script. Instead, she listened to the energy of the space, the intention of the gathering, the people in the room.

The feeling that surfaced was alignment.

Miles Wency

Miles Wency

Her class unfolded around three pillars: awareness, alignment, and abundance. “You cannot change what you are not aware of,” she told participants. Awareness sharpens choice. Alignment comes from living in truth and in tune with one’s core values. Abundance follows naturally when the inner world is in order.

Held in a serene, nature-filled setting, the experience was immersive by design. For Magalona, retreat environments, whether at The Farm at San Benito or along the country’s beaches, quiet the noise of the mind and deepen self-connection. “Nature is spending time with God,” she says. “It’s a gift.”

What stood out most to her was the sharing circle. Young women in their early 20s spoke freely, vulnerably. In them, Magalona saw her younger self. Teaching became a full-circle moment—one that honored her past and healed it simultaneously. Creating safe spaces, she says, is the work she wishes someone had done for her.

The impact beyond social media

Offline, Magalona’s work reaches places wellness conversations rarely go. She has taught meditation to Grab drivers, firefighters, members of the Philippine Air Force, cancer patients, and frontline workers. Across all these spaces, one truth remains: pain is universal.

Her role as Mental Health Ambassadress for the Bureau of Fire Protection deepened this understanding. Supporting firefighters who respond not only to fires but to suicide calls, she emphasizes emotional release, self-prioritization, and the importance of filling one’s own cup first. She also uses her platform to direct those in crisis to professional help, recognizing her limits, and honoring the role of experts.

Kieran Punay
Ecru peak lapel suit and white shirt by Bianca Cordero

Perhaps the most profound moments come from service. Teaching meditation to cancer patients, an experience shaped by her father’s illness, remains one of her most meaningful offerings. “I’m just an instrument,” she shares. “God passes these teachings through me.”

Looking ahead, Magalona hopes to expand her reach, inviting more men into wellness spaces, connecting with teenagers through school talks, and bringing meditation to Filipinos abroad. Her message, however, remains beautifully simple.

“Wellness doesn’t have to be expensive—go back to basics. Go back to yourself. Presence is key.”

And above all, keep growing. Not to be better than others but to give the best of yourself to the world, and back to God.

Photographer: Kieran Punay. Makeup: Erica Imperial. Hair: Faye A. Guasch. Stylist: Sidney Yap.
Writer: Pearl Iceley Darbin. Art Direction: Mara Sofia Imperial.