Ancestral Healing
Honoring Origins to Form Sacred Futures
Course Description
Our dominant mental health care system disconnects people from their lineage, rarely acknowledging the impacts of generational trauma and wisdom. While some forms of practice have begun to integrate a decolonial analysis, too often these efforts displace traditional forms of knowledge from their source, and co-opt Indigenous practices to fit the mold of oppressive structures. As we seek to transform what liberatory care can and should look like, our ancestors play a crucial role in mapping futures of possibility. The work of ancestral healing requires reconciling immense loss of culture and people, as well as honoring Indigenous ways of knowing that have been practiced by shamans, elders, and healers worldwide for generations.
This class will explore what it means to “decolonize mental health,” and how we can do so in a way that centers respect and care for diverse sources of Indigenous wisdom and expertise. Our faculty will introduce a range of alternative practices rooted in Indigenous ways of knowing that can nurture individual and collective healing. Participants will be encouraged to think, learn, and act intergenerationally, using lineage to help make sense of ourselves alongside our past, present, and future ancestors. In the process of uplifting and centering indigenous practices, we will learn how to call in our own ancestral lineages, make meaning of our experiences, and dream toward a world that centers collective care and liberation.
What you’ll learn:
Key assumptions about ancestral healing and Indigenous practices and how to honor them respectfully
How our understanding of ancestral honoring and wisdom functions within our current mental health system
How connecting to ancestors can create new pathways for healing for those we support in our roles as mental health professionals, peers, and caregivers
How to practice setting intentions to connect to ancestors or ancestral knowledge in our personal or professional lives
Faculty
Elmina Bell, Peer Support Instructor & ReIndigenizer
Elmina is the Visionary Seeder at Indigenous Mental Health Awareness Network International (IMHANI) with her team of healers, ancestors and guides. She has a background in movement work. Elmina researches and teaches on Indigenous holistic psychologies for improved mental health, community building, and for the dismantling of oppressive psych ward systems. She’s a first-generation American born to Cameroonian parents with Togolese roots too. Her work as trauma-informed peer support facilitator, astrologer, sound healer, and budding medium is guided by Mulema Alchemy. Mulema means heart in Bimbia, from the Sawa peoples of Cameroon. She believes in the transformative power of the heart.
Cleopatra tatabele, Cultural Educator
Cleopatra (they/she pronouns) is an activist, healer, educator, and organizer born and raised in Lenape Territory, so-called NYC. As a Black and Indigenous two spirit person, they believe that by honoring their Black and Indigenous ancestors healing is possible.
“I really appreciated the way that the faculty gave very practical examples about how to apply the concepts they spoke about. For instance, the chart about Indigenous mental health and Western mental health, and the chart about the different ways that people relate to time.”
What You Get
16 videos (2+ hours of content) full of history, research, and unique perspectives
Exclusive readings and resources
Discussion with a creative community of professionals and advocates inside the course
A reference and resource list to aid ongoing learning and exploration on the course topics
Audience
This course is for:
Mental health and physical health professionals, including: clinicians, psychologists, psychiatrists, social workers, peer specialists, recovery support specialists, housing specialists, nurse practitioners, wellness support workers, coaches, holistic practitioners
Students
Activists
Family members and advocates
Anyone who works or plans to work with people experiencing mental health-related challenges
“I learned a lot about how to utilize these practices in my own healing. Ancestral healing is a way to connect with deeper parts of self and community.”
Take the Class
This self-paced course is hosted on Mighty Networks, home to IDHA's School for Transformative Mental Health. This virtual community space supports sustained learning, engagement with other students, access to supplemental resources, and opportunities to interact with your faculty.
We provide the option of enrolling for at the general ($20) or supporter rate ($40) to ensure the sustainability of IDHA’s work and enable us to create more accessible, cutting-edge training content.
CLICK THE BUTTONS BELOW TO JOIN US ON MIGHTY NETWORKS!
If you already have an account, simply log in to proceed to the course.
If you’re new to IDHA’s Mighty Network, you will be prompted to create an account and then receive access to course content.
FAQ
When does the course start and finish?
This is a completely self-paced online course - you decide when you start and when you finish.
How long do I have access to the course?
After enrolling, you have unlimited access to this course for as long as you like - across any and all devices you own.
What if I am unhappy with the course, content, or platform?
We love hearing your feedback on what we can do to improve our efforts to bring transformative mental health to the public! Shoot us an email at contact@idha-nyc.org and let us know your thoughts. If you disagree with any of the perspectives shown in this course - that's great! We encourage differing perspectives, so feel free to leave a comment in the course - so long as your comments remain respectful and you speak from your own point of view.
I am a person struggling with mental health issues/a family member of someone who is struggling. Can I take the course?
Absolutely! Just note that this course is geared towards professionals in the field, and will speak mostly to those working in a formal support role. However, we welcome anyone who wants to join!
Are refunds available?
At this time, all sales are final, we cannot offer refunds after purchase.