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