A picture of Liliana in the nature, eyes close, looking up

A Journey of connection and transformation

I am someone deeply passionate about two seemingly different, yet profoundly connected worlds: User Experience (UX) and Yoga. With over 10 years of experience as a UX Researcher and Designer, and certifications in Yoga and Meditation, I have found a unique synergy between these two practices.

Both UX and Yoga revolve around inclusion and connection—whether creating intuitive experiences that meet others’ needs or fostering balance and mindfulness within ourselves. They both start with the same principles: inclusion and empathy.

Yoga entered my life as a source of grounding and self-discovery. Over time, it became a lens through which I saw the world—and my work in UX. Both require deep listening, understanding the needs of others (and ourselves), and a dedication to growth and refinement. Yoga enhances my creativity and focus as a designer, while UX brings structure and clarity to my teaching practice.

A journey through two worlds

This fusion allows me to approach challenges with a holistic mindset, bridging the gaps between technology and humanity, movement and stillness, complexity and simplicity.

Thank you for being here, let’s breathe together.

Why Respira?

A Portuguese, Spanish, and Italian word for Breath.

A simple yet profound reminder to pause, reconnect, and move forward with clarity. Breath is our most essential tool for grounding and balance, both in life and in the work we do.

In Yoga, the breath anchors us to the present moment, creating space for mindfulness and self-awareness. In UX, a similar principle applies: we pause to truly understand users, their needs, and their journeys, designing solutions that bring clarity to their lives.

The act of breathing, or "respirar," is also a universal process that connects all living beings. This universality highlights a profound sense of equality and interconnectedness among all forms of life. By acknowledging this universal process, we can foster a deeper sense of union (the meaning of yoga), empathy, and responsibility towards all living beings and the planet we share.

Respira is not just a name, it’s an approach to life and work, grounded in empathy, creativity, and balance.

I truly believe that embracing the universality of breath can lead to a more harmonious and compassionate world.

An image of white textiles and shades
Liliana's hands with a tattoo with the word Respira

What can I offer you?

All offerings are led in Portuguese, English, or both.

For innovators and dreamers

Whether you're building a product or designing a service, I bring thoughtful UX strategies to create inclusive solutions that truly resonate with users and deliver measurable impact.

For wellbeing seekers/teams

Through inclusive tailored yoga and meditation sessions, I guide individuals and groups toward balance, clarity, and well-being, and help you find balance and mindfulness amidst the chaos of life.

For who seeks integration

I offer courses, and workshops that combine the principles of UX and yoga, empowering people to thrive in their personal and professional lives.

My education

in User Experience

    • UX Research

    • Product Discovery

    • The ROI of UX

    • Research Ops

    • Microcopy & UX Writing

    • Design Thinking

    • European Accessibility Act (EN 301 549) and WCAG standards

    • Research Ethics

    • Accessibility for neurodiversity

    • UX and Accessible Design

    • Create Accessible Interfaces

  • The Interaction Design Foundation | 2023

    Topics covered:

    • How to hire for, position, and empower a UX team effectively

    • Best practices to manage and support a UX designer and wider UX team

    • How the management of UX professionals directly affects ROI—both positively and negatively

    • What your UX team should be doing to grow your UX efforts across the organizationWhy your senior management team must get educated on, and possibly involved in, UX

    • UX management best practices, from interviews and case studies with experts

  • HEC Montréal | 2021 - 2022

    Topics covered:

    UX RESEARCH:

    • Data collection in an IT project

    • User research methods and process

    • Internal, external, primary, and secondary data sources

    • Purpose, pros & cons of qualitative and quantitative UX methods

    • User interviews, focus groups, observation, surveys, analytics, physiological data collecting, card sorting, user testing, and A/B testing

    • Collected data analysis to extract pertinent insights.

    UX MANAGEMENT:

    • Planning a UX Strategy

    • Organizing UX Activities and Deliverables

    • Staffing UX Teams

    • Leading UX Efforts

    • Controlling UX Value

    • Advocating for Greater UX Maturity

  • University of Virginia Darden School of Business | 2020

    Topics covered:

    • Key concepts and practices from the agile product development methodology

    • Actionable personas and problem scenarios

    • User research

    • Writing user stories

    • Strategies to enhance user stories

    • Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation

    • Stress

    • Neuroscience and Mindfulness

    • Benefits of Mindfulness

    • Mindful Living

    • Mindful Movement

    • Posture and Facilitation

    • Guided Mindfulness Meditation Practice

    • Teaching Mindfulness

  • EDIT. | 2018 - 2019

    Topics covered:

    • SEO

    • Performance Marketing

    • Analytics

    • Reporting & Dashboards

  • EDIT. | 2017 - 2018

    Topics covered:

    • Project Initiation & Planning

    • Process Control & Management

    • Design Thinking applied to Digital Projects

    • Post Project

  • Higher School of Education from Coimbra | 2007 - 20210

    Marketing graduation

You can see my full education here

in Yoga

    • Yoga Theory and Philosophy

    • Yoga Asana Practice & Embodied Study

    • Anatomy and Physiology of Yoga

    • Pranayama and Energy Practices

    • The Art of Teaching

    • Ceremonies and Rituals

    • Asana

    • Teaching Methodology

    • Yoga Anatomy

    • Pranayama

    • Meditation

    • Philosophy

    • Shatkarma

    • Additional topics

    • What is Yin yoga?

    • History of Yin yoga

    • The essential elements of Yin Yoga: definition and principles

    • The Yin and the Yang

    • Yin yoga vs Restorative yoga

    • How to practice and teach Yin yoga

    • Anatomy of Yin yoga

    • Target areas of yoga asanas

    • Beneficial effects of Yin yoga on connective tissues, fascia and joints: anatomical and energetic benefits

    • Archetypal poses and their variations

    • Functional and comparative anatomy

    • Appropriate use of props

    • Sequencing Yin yoga classes

    • Teaching methodology of Yin Yoga

    • To understand how emotions work and their relation to the connective tissue

    • Introduction to Mindfulness and Mindfulness Meditation

    • Stress

    • Neuroscience and Mindfulness

    • Benefits of Mindfulness

    • Mindful Living

    • Mindful Movement

    • Posture and Facilitation

    • Guided Mindfulness Meditation Practice

    • Teaching Mindfulness