Today we’d like to introduce you to Paola Bayron.
Hi Paola, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I’m a mama, a four-time Emmy award-winning journalist, a mental health advocate, a psychic medium, a certified reiki healer, host of The Inner Puzzle podcast, and founder of The Inner Puzzle, my creative baby. I began working in broadcast media at the age of 19. My career took off at Telemundo, the American Spanish-language network owned by NBC Universal, and shortly after, I joined Univision, the country’s largest Spanish content provider. I was all in, building my path in journalism and storytelling at the time. I was laid off right before the pandemic hit, and within 11 hours was offered a role to return to Telemundo as a producer, which ended up being my final position in the news industry. Two years later, I found myself overwhelmed with depression after having my baby girl, and it had nothing to do with her arrival, but everything to do with the reason she was brought to our lives.
During my postpartum journey, my husband and I experienced homelessness after being forced to leave the place we thought we’d stay for a while longer. Three months postpartum, all our things packed in our car and then, I experienced pseudo seizures. That was chaotic and turbulent in itself. It took me months to find a grip on everything that was happening. I figured that I had time to be a mom and to work on myself, so I did. I had sudden surges of emotions that were buried long before becoming a mother and it forced me to seek self-help. I found inspiration through Jay Shetty, Brene Brown and numerous books, and found hope and spirituality through signs that led me to finding my purpose. During the journey to recovering, I created an online journal, “Luly’s Blog”, sharing every moment and glimpse of postpartum and my unraveling, while healing my own well-being. Eventually, I became an advocate for mental health and started to do speaking engagements for my community. During that time, I became curious about tarot cards, wanting to know if I would get a job soon, and I ended up predicting my next career step. Four months after picking up a deck, I found myself in a classroom teaching high school students and leading a whole department. Except, this role showed me how important it was for me to not only teach, but to mentor. I was transparent about my advocacy on mental health with my students, I told them how I had gone viral over the summer on Tik Tok, and that life took me on many turns. They were more compassionate than I was led to think. The kids were a priority for me and I connected to them instantly. So much so, they ended up finding out about my gift in reading the cards. That was in 2023 and 2024. That summer, I deep dived into my spirituality. I dedicated time to learning about my ancestors, my own traumas that still needed healing, my dad who has long passed and about the cycles I kept getting stuck in. I was eventually able to conquer and move forward. Today, I work as a registered behavior technician, while pursuing my graduate degree to become a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, all while continuing to serve in the spiritual and healing spaces. Although my journey hasn’t been linear, it’s been a deep evolution.
My earliest memory of my mediumship goes back to when I was just 11 years old. I began experiencing psychic predictions and connecting with those who had crossed over. At the time, I didn’t know how to make sense of it. But as I got older, I realized that my gift was not something to hide; it’s always been a part of me. I understand now that my gift is communication, whether it’s through teaching, mentoring, storytelling, mediumship, journalism; it is something I’ve grown to embrace wholeheartedly. Since opening up about my abilities, I’ve had the honor of helping over 300 clients from around the world, from the U.S. to London, Dubai, India, Nigeria, Germany, and Spain. The pseudo seizures were a part of a chapter that completely shifted everything. It was through that deep physical and emotional pain that I found God, and truly stepped onto the path I was meant to walk on. That moment cracked me open, spiritually, mentally, and physically. I often speak about my mental health journey, including the raw and real parts of postpartum depression and motherhood, and the spiritual awakening that followed. I plan to continue sharing my testimony on what it means to rise from the dust, to come back from the darkest of places and still choose to shine. While my career has taken many forms, my mission remains the same: to help others find healing, connection, and purpose, one story, one heart and one soul at a time.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
It hasn’t been a smooth road. We were bouncing from place to place, living in scarcity and needing to buy formula for our baby. We had one car after my husband got into a massive car accident. We had eyes judging our every move, and some probably didn’t want to see us make it. Some of the struggles had everything to do with loneliness and the lack of conversations and tools for postpartum depression, mental health, motherhood. The societal need for instant gratification and lack of prioritizing deep-rooted healing was triggering, but it led me to create my very own blueprint for my clients. During that time, I often struggled with the fact that some might have made me question my own light, and it took every ounce of me and my faith to trust that I was perfect just the way God intended me to be, and that I just needed to give myself tender love and care instead.
With the love of my husband, the unconditional bonding with our daughter, the support from our family and close friends, the bumps, the missteps, the detours, the redirection were all perfectly assigned. They all led to this moment right here. Every lesson served its purpose, and I am better for it and truly grateful.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
My work lives at the intersection of healing, storytelling, and service. The Inner Puzzle is a space dedicated to helping others piece themselves back together through love, vulnerability, and spiritual connection. I specialize in intuitive healing, guided mentorship, and supporting individuals on their journey toward emotional, spiritual, and behavioral growth. Through my mediumship, I’ve been able to help myself heal and then help over 300 clients worldwide find peace, clarity, and closure. I’m raw, I’m honest, vulnerable and compassionate, and that is how I create safe spaces for those who allow me to join them in their personal journey.
I find myself being proud of how I broke generational cycles. That I get to be the mother I am for my daughter: present, grounded, loving, and conscious. That I stayed even when I didn’t want to be earth-side. That I chose to fight through the darkness and find purpose in my pain. That I found God when I finally surrendered and prayed on my knees. That no matter what obstacles I’ve faced, I find the bright ray of light through it all.
I think the depth of my lived experience in such little time is what sets me apart from others. I don’t just speak about healing, I’ve lived it, walked through fire, and found the light again. I lead from a place of empathy, faith, and resilience. I allow others to see that I am human too and that they also have a gift that is meant to be shared. My work isn’t about perfection, it’s about helping others remember their calling.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice for finding a mentor or networking in general is to be deeply intentional. Don’t just look for people with the title you want, look for those who embody the energy, integrity, and heart you admire. I’ve learned that aligned relationships come when you’re clear on who you are and what you value. In both the spiritual and professional worlds I navigate, I’ve found that mentorship often begins with mutual respect and shared purpose, not just status, money or expertise.
What has worked well for me is being vulnerable and honest about my journey. When I began sharing my story, about postpartum depression, mental health and now about my spiritual awakening, people naturally gravitated toward me because they either walked similar paths or felt called to support mine. I’ve found the most meaningful connections by leading with authenticity. I also recommend to never be afraid to ask, whether it’s for guidance, a chat over coffee, or collaborating. Most of the mentors or connections I’ve made weren’t through formal procedures, they were encounters that universe permitted and they turned into long-term support systems.
A last note, trust your intuition and always look at your cup of water and ask yourself: am I giving as much as I’m receiving?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://theinnerpuzzle.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pbayronofficial/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/paola-bayron-
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Pbayronofficial
- Other: https://linktr.ee/pbayronofficial
Image Credits
Jose C. Ortega, Director of Photography
