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!
True Connection in Mental Health
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Reader, As therapists and healers, we all know how important it is to build genuine connections with our clients. It’s what makes our work meaningful and impactful. But here’s the thing—too many clinicians lean on cultural competency training as a catch-all solution, and it’s ironically putting up walls between us and real understanding. The problem with cultural competency is that it often revolves around a set of fixed stereotypes, which can keep us from truly connecting with people who have a background different than ours. It’s like having a cheat sheet on someone’s culture and thinking it’s enough. Spoiler alert: it’s not! Back in grad school, we focused on Western psychology (or western —whitewashed— interpretations of Eastern philosophies), and while there’s now more emphasis on cultural humility and cultural responsiveness, we’re honestly still stuck learning basic stereotypes that supposedly define cultural groups. This approach doesn't help us genuinely connect with people or acknowledge the power imbalances and privilege that exist in our interactions. And guess what. It is not your fault that you are stuck with stupid requirements from your governing board telling you that “you must be culturally competent” via completing a 3 hour training every two years or so (and don’t get me wrong, there’s amazing people out there, with lived experience, trying to give us quality material within the oppressive bounds of our governing boards). Here's my take on cultural competency: you can learn everything there is to know about someone's culture, but it doesn’t make you competent. If you’re not aware of the gap between your experiences and your client’s, how can you really connect with them or show up authentically? I wish these eurocentric governing boards realized that true connection comes from bridging the gap between your and your clients' identities. Thanks for tuning in, hit reply cause I’d love to hear your thoughts on this! ☀️ In community, Silvana @ Decolonize Your Practice PS. Starting late this year or early next, I will be offering workshops. Click on the topic that interests you the most to make sure you are the first to know about them:
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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, We talk a lot about “success” at the end of the year — how much we achieved, how much we accomplished, how many milestones we hit. But if we’re honest, most of us inherited a definition of success that was never ours to begin with. Success, for many of us, was shaped by systems that taught our families that safety had to be earned. That rest was conditional. That slowing down was dangerous. That productivity was proactivity.There is nothing wrong with wanting more: more ease, more...
Reader, A quick update on what I've been up to: 🛋️ The Practice of Liberation, a slower, more intimate space where I share how I’m decolonizing my work, my relationships, and myself in real time.This space grew from the same heart as Liberatory Letters, but moves at a gentler, more vulnerable rhythm — one that centers practice, reflection & the person, not just the profession.It’s for those of us ready to live liberation, not just think about it.You can learn more about it in the P.S. below...
Reader, A quick update on what I've been up to: 🛋️ The Practice of Liberation, a slower, more intimate space where I share how I’m decolonizing my work, my relationships, and myself in real time.This space grew from the same heart as Liberatory Letters, but moves at a gentler, more vulnerable rhythm — one that centers practice, reflection & the person, not just the profession.It’s for those of us ready to live liberation, not just think about it.You can learn more about it in the P.S. below...