Resolving Cultural and Historical Trauma with Iya Affo

Iya Affo is a culturalist and historical trauma specialist. She has traveled to more than 25 countries and lived a life dedicated to cultivating love and inclusivity, facilitating decolonization, and healing indigenous people. Iya’s work focuses on a cultural and neurobiological perspective of historical trauma, and she presents the question, “What happened in the past, and how does that manifest in people today?”  Exploring cultural expressions historically used to manage adversity, Iya highlights a White Mountain Apache dance performed as a debriefing by warriors returning home. “That's what they did to restore their neurological regulation before they rejoin the community because we know that if we are dysregulated, we have behaviors that are aggressive and abusive and hostile.” Iya points to the Cherry Blossom study, underscoring the beginning of one’s biological life as an egg in the womb of our grandmothers. Through the knowledge of epigenetics, we understand that trauma can be imprinted on us even before the birth of our mothers. Still, we can also pass down positive experiences, benevolence, and love. “What you do today and how you change your life today has the potential to impact the next 14 generations.” About Iya Affo:  Iya Affo is a Culturalist and Historical Trauma Specialist. She is the founder of Heal Historical Trauma and the International Historical Trauma Association. Iya earned Western certification as a Trauma Specialist and is a descendant of a long line of traditional healers from the Republic of Benin, West Africa. She has visited more than 25 countries and resided in various Native American, Yoruba, Buddhist, Hindu, and Taoist communities. While on pilgrimage in Benin, she lived among Medicine Men and Women to learn the ways of the Shaman and understand the truth about the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade. In China, Iya lived in the Shaolin Temple; in India, she sojourned in a Hindu spiritual community. Serving Navajo Nation and the Gila River Indian Community, Iya found a home among the egalitarian, indigenous people of North America. Learn More: healhistoricaltrauma.com To read the full show notes and discover more resources visit https://www.narmtraining.com/podcast *** NARM Training Institute https://www.NARMtraining.com View upcoming trainings: https://narmtraining.com/schedule Join the Inner Circle: https://narmtraining.com/online-learning/inner-circle *** The NARM Training Institute provides tools for transforming complex trauma through: in-person and online trainings for mental health care professionals; in-person and online workshops on complex trauma and how it interplays with areas like addiction, parenting, and cultural trauma; an online self-paced learning program, the NARM Inner Circle; and other trauma-informed learning resources.   We want to connect with you! Facebook @NARMtraining YouTube Instagram @thenarmtraininginstitute

Om Podcasten

In-depth conversations about how to help individuals and communities thrive after Complex Trauma. In a modern world beset by trauma and a legacy of suffering, conflict and disconnection, healing trauma can serve as a vehicle for personal and social transformation. Interviews with mental health and other helping professionals who are using the NeuroAffective Relational Model® (NARM®), as well as other prominent trauma specialists, will highlight the current efforts to address the legacy of childhood, relational, cultural and intergenerational trauma. These leaders in the Trauma-Informed Care movement will guide listeners through the diverse ways they are supporting individuals, couples, families and communities in order to actualize Post-Traumatic Growth. Whether you are a healthcare professional, an educator, a parent, a public policy maker, a trauma survivor, or someone interested in personal healing and social justice; this podcast will provide you with a map for increased resiliency, greater health outcomes, healthier relationships, personal growth and social change through transforming trauma. Hosted by the Complex Trauma Training Center.