About

Aspire. Grow. Succeed.

Dr. Bernadette Costello collaborates with leaders, teams, and organizations so they can reach their full potential. As a consultant, her methods involve listening intently to the needs of her clients and helping them identify focused solutions that will work best with their culture and climate.  As a coach, her focus is to help the client identify a desired impact and develop a clear plan to achieve that result. In consulting and coaching, she uses a variety of strategies that have evolved after many years of facilitating and coaching. Her experience includes working with organizations and leaders in the public, non-profit and higher education sectors.

Bernadette has over 25 years of talent development, coaching, consulting, and leadership experience.  She served as President for the Metro DC Chapter of the Association of Talent Development(ATD), as Chair of the ATD Leader’s Conference Program Advisory Committee and is a member of ATD’s National Advisors for Chapters. She has served on other professional organizations in leadership and volunteer roles with Virginia CUPA (Colleges and Universities Personnel Association), and the International Personnel Management Association (IPMA). Bernadette received a Bachelor of Social Work from Southern Illinois University, a Master in Public Administration from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a doctorate in Higher Education from George Mason University. She is an ACC, and Energy Leadership Index Master Practitioner and holds a SHRM-SCP certification.

Bernadette lives in Northern Virginia with her husband.  She loves spending time with her three grown daughters, traveling and vineyard visiting. She enjoys running, cooking and tending her flower and herb gardens.

Why the Labyrinth?

Over 4000 years ago, labyrinths were used as a location for rituals and ultimately became a place for pilgrimage and personal transformation.  Labyrinths are symbolic of the path taken for self-discovery, understanding and clarity and were created to represent the idea of wholeness. There is one way in and one way out. There are no dead ends. When you walk into a labyrinth, the path is purposeful and allows you to experience your unique journey at your own pace with the intention of increased self-awareness. The labyrinth’s unicursal shape provides the traveler with an intentional metaphoric path.

Entering the labyrinth is a deliberate choice made by the traveler.  Going into the labyrinth is symbolic of letting go of one’s current beliefs and thoughts. Journeying along the path to the center is when the mind can focus and develop insights.  The center is a metaphor for achieving clarity and peace.  The journey out of the labyrinth represents integrating breakthroughs with a new reality.  Walking out of the labyrinth signifies renewal and is a definitive step in announcing the transformation. The labyrinth expresses that same sacred space I hope to offer clients in their unique journey and transformation.