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

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

Support the mission of SAND and the production of this podcast by becoming a SAND Member