I help therapists, healers, and space-holders bring decolonial and liberatory values into their work—so you’re not just saying you’re aligned… you’re actually practicing it. ⬆️ More integrity, more connection, more liberation. ⬇️ Less burnout, less performative wokeness, less colonial residue. If you want a practice where marginalized clients feel safe, seen, and honored—and you want to feel more grounded and intentional in your work—subscribe and join a growing community of practitioners doing this work differently. You practice can be liberatory-- let's get you there!
Building Connections (action steps)
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Reader, I’ve been thinking a lot about what it really means to build authentic connections in the therapy room (and beyond) when we ground ourselves in awareness of systemic oppression and power. This is more than a nice-to-have or another checkbox on the diversity forms we see in our workplaces. It’s the heart of how we practice liberation and decolonization in our work. Let’s be real for a second: the therapy and healing world wasn’t exactly built with the needs of marginalized communities in mind. It was designed to fit within a Western, Eurocentric framework, and that’s left so many people—therapists and clients alike—feeling disconnected, unseen, and unheard. The systems of power that have shaped our world have also shaped our healing practices, and if we’re not consciously unlearning those patterns, we’re just inadvertently reinforcing harm. But here’s the thing: healing and connection can’t happen in isolation from the social and political realities we all live in. This is why building connections grounded in an awareness of power and oppression is so important. It means we’re not just passively listening or staying “neutral” in the room—we’re actively challenging the power imbalances that shape the therapeutic relationship. So, what does that actually look like in practice? Here are the action steps:
⬆️ I'll unpack these five actions in future emails ⬆️ And you don’t have to do this alone! We’re in this together—this unlearning, relearning, and creating something radically different. A world where therapy and healing aren’t just tools for personal growth but are also acts of resistance and liberation. That’s the work we signed up for, even if grad school didn’t teach us that. So, here’s my invitation to you:
And as always, if you’re down for more conversations about decolonizing our practices, I’d love to hear from you. Reply to this email and tell me how this resonates with you, or what else you need to start doing this work differently. We’re all figuring this out together, one liberatory step at a time. 💛 In solidarity and healing, Silvana @ Decolonize Your Practice PS. Ready to take it even further? Sign up for the last (or next to the last) Decolonized Consultation Sessions below ⬇️
PPS. Hi! Did someone forward this newsletter to you for the first time?
⬆️ Let's connect ⬆️ |
Liberatory Letters
I help therapists, healers, and space-holders bring decolonial and liberatory values into their work—so you’re not just saying you’re aligned… you’re actually practicing it. ⬆️ More integrity, more connection, more liberation. ⬇️ Less burnout, less performative wokeness, less colonial residue. If you want a practice where marginalized clients feel safe, seen, and honored—and you want to feel more grounded and intentional in your work—subscribe and join a growing community of practitioners doing this work differently. You practice can be liberatory-- let's get you there!
Reader, A quick update on what I've been up to: 🖥️ Start Here, 90-minute live workshop on finding grounded, sustainable ways to decolonize your practice. I'll walk you through my 4-step framework to help you identify where your work feels misaligned, where change is possible, and what often gets in the way.Learn more below or sign up here. Many of us understand the value of affinity spaces. We know how powerful it can be to gather with people who share aspects of our lived experience, where...
June 2026 | issue #8 Reader, i was lucky enough to travel extensively within my country during my formative years. every year, for as long as i can remember, i travelled during the summer with my parents. always to the interior, as a contrast to my upbringing in an urban, traffic-heavy city of eight million people. as i got older, my dad began bringing me along on some of his work trips. he is an engineer who specializes in renewable energy and weatherization projects for poor, rural, and...
Reader, A quick update on what I've been up to: 💻 Decolonizing Mental Health Therapy, a 3-hour CE workshop in collaboration with Therapist To Therapists. We'll examine colonialism in mental health, the importance of identities and code-switching, and discuss ways of decolonizing mental health practice. Learn more below or here. 🖥️ Start Here, 90-minute live workshop on Decolonizing Your Practice. I'll walk you through my 4-step framework to start Decolonizing your mental health practice—...