Luis Villafuerte, CSWA
 

Luis obtained his Master's in Social Work degree from Portland State University. He is a first-generation college graduate. Luis is bilingual in Spanish and English. Born and raised in Portland, he has lived experience growing up in a city where barriers to mental health care that is culturally specific exist. Luis is a proud son of immigrant parents from Mexico.

Luis’s approach to therapeutic work values collaboration, kindness to self, going at the pace of the individual, and co-creating a brave space where individuals can challenge themselves to sit with challenging emotions. He is interested in continuing to expand his learning and implement elements of justice-based, decolonized, trauma-informed therapy practices. Working with all folks is exciting, and Luis particularly enjoys working with men who struggle with depression and anxiety, feel numb or have difficulty controlling emotions, and face challenges slowing down because of the stigma associated with men and mental health. 

Luis is now working on his License as a Clinical Social Worker. He has worked with transitional age youth (17-24), unaccompanied minors, and individuals ranging from 18-55 years of age, all in different settings. His practice utilizes the Indigenous Relational Worldview model, Systems Theory, Motivational Interviewing, Somatic Experiencing, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy interventions.  He also will offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy.