Nature-based therapist, psychedelic integration coach, and co-facilitator at Kinti Yaya Healing Sanctuary.
About Maja
Maja Krauss is a nature-based therapist, psychedelic integration coach, and the co-founder of Kinti Yaya. Originally from Germany, she has dedicated her life to the intersection of nature, healing, and human transformation — weaving together the rigour of Western therapeutic science with the depth of indigenous Andean wisdom.
Her path to Kinti Yaya was not a straight line, but a series of callings: a deep love of nature, years of working with people in their most vulnerable moments, a personal encounter with the transformative power of plant medicine, and an ever-deepening connection to the land and the teachings of Tayta Willak.
Education & Training
- M.Sc. Nature-Based Counselling and Therapy (Green Care), 2023 — A research-based master’s degree exploring the therapeutic dimensions of the human-nature relationship, integrating ecotherapy, animal-assisted interventions, and nature-based healing practices.
- B.A. Social Sciences and Educational Sciences, 2016 — Foundation in psychology, sociology, and educational theory, with a focus on human development and social contexts of wellbeing.
- Psychedelic Facilitation Training, 2024 — Completed specialized training in Germany and the Netherlands, enabling trauma-sensitive support for individuals in legal psychedelic-assisted contexts.
- Ongoing spiritual training with Tayta Willak, since January 2025 — Deepening her own practice within the Andean Kichwa tradition, learning directly from a seventh-generation yachak.
Professional Experience
Since 2016, Maja has been supporting people in personal transformation processes in a variety of contexts. Her professional background includes working with individuals experiencing depression, anxiety disorders, PTSD, and autism spectrum conditions — always with a particular focus on the healing power of relationship, nature, and embodied experience.
For several years, she worked as a nature-assisted therapist and coach with horses, guiding clients through deeply transformative processes using the wisdom and presence of animals as therapeutic mirrors. This work sharpened her ability to hold space with sensitivity, attunement, and patience — qualities she brings fully into her work at Kinti Yaya.
In 2022, her own healing journey led her into direct experience with psychedelic plant medicines, which profoundly changed her understanding of consciousness, healing, and the relationship between humans and the natural world. This personal encounter inspired her to train formally as a psychedelic guide and to seek out authentic indigenous ceremonial wisdom — eventually bringing her to Kinti Yaya and to Tayta Willak.
Her Role at Kinti Yaya
At Kinti Yaya, Maja holds the space before, during, and after each retreat. She is responsible for the professional preparation and integration support of all participants — offering individual conversations, psychoeducation, somatic support, and guidance for the journey ahead.
Her approach is empathetic, trauma-sensitive, science-informed, and grounded in deep respect for each person’s individual journey. She works in close collaboration with Tayta Willak, bridging the worlds of Western therapeutic understanding and Andean indigenous wisdom — ensuring that each participant feels both professionally held and spiritually supported throughout their retreat.
Maja offers her sessions in English, Spanish and German, and warmly welcomes participants from German-speaking communities.
mAYAcura — Online Coaching & Integration
Alongside her work at Kinti Yaya, Maja offers individual nature coaching and psychedelic integration sessions online and in Ecuador through her own practice, mAYAcura. These sessions are available to anyone who is preparing for a plant medicine journey, integrating a past experience, or simply seeking nature-based support for personal growth and healing.
Interested in joining a retreat or working with Maja directly?