Claudia Cuentas is a Peruvian immigrant, a bilingual and bicultural artist, a license marriage and family therapist, a researcher and an educator, specializing in the intersectionality of art, healing trauma, trauma recovery, cultural identity, indigenous knowledge and decolonization of healing. She has an MA in Counseling Psychology and is trained in Drama Therapy, Expressive Arts Therapy, Somatic Experiencing, and Trauma Inform Care. She also has extensive studies in Indigenous healing, from her native Aymara and Quechua lineages of South America.
Claudia started her journey as an educator and advocate of art, as a tool for healing and liberation. In becoming a therapist, after her studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies, Claudia focused on serving immigrant communities, families and children. She has worked with undocumented families, refugees, homeless population and women survivors of violence, especially dealing with PTSD. Upon arriving to Portland, Oregon, Claudia joined the team at Conexiones, a Multicultural Center for Trauma Recovery. Claudia has completed parts A and B of the Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies (MAPS) MDMA Therapy Training Program. She continues to participate in ongoing training and education on the intersectionality of generational trauma, plant medicine science, eco-informed therapy, nervous system healing and indigenous wisdom.
Claudia also leads workshops in cultural diversity and art as healing, as well as bilingual song circles for the community. She collaborates with organizations as Native American Youth Association, MILPA (Cultivating Change Makers for The Next Seven Generations) and Adelante Mujeres on developing curriculum about trauma recovery and Indigenous ways of healing. Claudia also worked as a consultant with the Ministry of Education in Peru to implement creative pilot programs aimed at preventing violence in the rural schools 2017.
Claudia currently has a private practice in Portland, Oregon. She is committed to continue providing ethical, educational and integrated work to support indigenous, black, brown and immigrant communities recovering from trauma. Claudia is also a recording musician, a singer songwriter and the founder of the Canta Colibrí Project.