A Decolonial Invitation to Remember, Relearn, and Resist

From a live SAND Community Gathering (November 2025) a live conversation with Dr. Jennifer Mullan & Iya Affo.

Their discussion emphasizes the importance of ancestral wisdom, collective healing, and the decolonization of therapeutic practices. Dr. Mullan shares her personal journey of reconciling traditional healing methods with modern therapy and explores the impact of historical and intergenerational trauma. The conversation also highlights the significance of land, lineage, and community in the healing process, and addresses the ways in which therapy can be transformed to be more inclusive and effective for diverse populations.

Dr. Mullan shares from her journey of calling therapists into a politicized practice—one rooted in responsibility, reverence, and collective liberation. The conversation challenges clinicians to confront their training, interrogate their privilege, and participate in the sacred labor of relearning.

Topics

00:00 Welcome and Introductions
00:30 Honoring Ancestral Wisdom
01:54 Introducing Iya Affo
04:23 Meet Dr. Jennifer Mullan
05:22 The Non-Neutrality of Therapy
10:39 Decolonizing Therapy: A Deep Dive
14:33 Therapy and Boundaries
27:42 The Historical Impact on Therapy
31:24 Shining a Light on Hidden History
31:55 Finding Safe Spaces for Vulnerability
32:21 Therapeutic Contexts and Trauma
33:45 Bridging and Reciprocity in Healing
37:04 Colonial Soul Wound and Historical Trauma
39:39 Reclaiming Ancestral Pathways
42:25 Decolonizing Therapy for All
45:43 Healing Across Layered Dimensions
54:50 Embracing Sacred Rage and Grief
58:25 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Therapy Is Not Neutral: Dr. Jennifer Mullan & Iya Affo