Finding Light in Color: Cláudia Mathias and The Healing Hues

It was two in the morning in Sunrise, Florida. The house was quiet, but Cláudia Mathias couldn’t rest. Her mind kept circling back to questions that had no answers.

“I would go to bed and just obsess. What was he thinking? Why did he speed? Why did he even buy the motorcycle? He only had it for a week. Why did God let this happen to such good parents? I was questioning things I’ll never have answers for. Next thing I knew, it would be three in the morning and I still couldn’t sleep.”

The loss of an 18-year-old she loved like family had broken her heart. Already living with depression and anxiety, Cláudia slipped even deeper into grief. “It was very tragic, very difficult for me to process. I was grieving badly. The insomnia went on for two and a half months.”

One night, desperate for something that might quiet her mind, Cláudia grabbed her phone and typed into Google: canvas painting for beginners.

What she found, a style called fluid art, changed everything.

“I went out, bought the materials, and started playing with paint. It took me out of the anxiety, out of the fear, out of the anger. Suddenly my mind was in a peaceful place where there was nothing but the art. Just flowing. Just creating.”

Healing One Brushstroke at a Time

Cláudia never expected art to feel this powerful. “I am not a born artist. I don’t draw or sketch. But art became so healing for me. I kept doing it over and over. A year later, I’m still painting all the time, and I’ve gotten better and better. But more than that, I’m doing well. I sleep now. I feel joy again.”

That shift planted a seed.

“I thought, if this helped me, maybe I can help other people. Because our society is suffering. There’s too much pressure. Even teenagers in my neighborhood have low self-esteem and social anxiety. I wanted to find a way to use art to help people heal.”

 

The Birth of The Healing Hues

Cláudia went on to earn certifications as both an Expressive Arts Life Coach and an Advanced Self-Care Healing Life Coach. In June 2025, she launched The Healing Hues by Cláudia.

“The name came from two things,” she said. “I wanted to work with colors, the many hues, and I wanted to heal. So, Healing Hues by Cláudia felt right.”

Her workshops are a mix of expressive art techniques, crystal bowl sound healing, and breathwork. “This isn’t about teaching people to become artists. It’s about giving them space to unload what they’re carrying. We use a color wheel where each shade connects to an emotion. If someone wants to let go of something from the past, they choose the color tied to that feeling. Then they release it into a mandala or a canvas.”

She always reassures her guests: “You don’t need to be an artist. You don’t need to draw. Anyone can do this. What matters is the experience.”

 

A Friend Transformed

One of Cláudia’s earliest sessions stays with her to this day. “A friend of mine was struggling with some health issues. She was having a really bad flare-up, and I asked her to come over to get her mind off things.”

“I introduced her to fluid art painting, and we started painting on craft wood. She immediately enjoyed the process, began to relax, and I saw her symptoms lifting away. Then she asked if she could paint a canvas, and of course she did. Over the three hours she spent with me, I witnessed the benefits of art on the brain reflected throughout the body. My friend felt relief from her ailments, and I got to watch that transformation. This was a very gratifying experience that art allowed me to witness.”

That moment was a turning point.

“That’s when I knew. This wasn’t just me. Art really heals.”

The Language of Color

Cláudia believes color speaks when words fail. “Cooler tones tend to calm. Blues are interesting because we say we’re ‘feeling the blues,’ but blue is also peaceful. It’s the ocean. It’s connection. Lavender, green, yellow, they all bring different feelings. When people work with colors, they are really working with their emotions.”

Building a Life That Matters

Cláudia spent more than 20 years in corporate product development and project management. But now, at 56, her focus has expanded.

“By the time you get to my age, you start asking, how can I help people? How can I give back? If I look back, I’ve lived three quarters of my life already.”

“Whatever time I have left, I want to devote myself to something meaningful.”

Her workshops are intentionally small, usually just 10 to 12 people. “It’s not about filling the room. It’s about giving each person the attention they need. Real healing doesn’t happen in a crowd.”

Each four-session program gives participants space to process, create, and return for the next step. “They go home, work through their feelings during the week, and then we debrief together when they come back. It’s powerful to watch that progress.”

Looking Ahead

Cláudia dreams of expanding The Healing Hues into a full-time practice. “In five years, I want this business to be well known here in Southeast Florida. I want to host workshops for teenagers, young adults, adults, and seniors. I’d like to work with corporations too, to support employees. And once a month, I want to volunteer with seniors at local centers.”

Even as she looks ahead, she never loses sight of what brought her here. “I am grateful and blessed. What started as a way for me to survive grief has become a calling. I want to keep creating. I want to keep helping. I believe this is where I am meant to be.”

Based in Sunrise, Florida, serving the Greater Fort Lauderdale area

214 Riverwalk Cir, Fort Lauderdale, Florida
Socials: Instagram| Facebook
Email: healinghuesbyCláudia@gmail.com
Phone: 954-937-0126
Services: Expressive Arts & Healing Life Coaching, Group Workshops, One-on-One Sessions