Sonya is a transgenerational family practitioner, African ancestral researcher and mental health professional. She has a PG Dip in Systemic Practice, advanced training in Systemic Constellations (CSC) and has been integrating systemic principles into her professional practice since 2001. She offers individual consultations that examine Black transgenerational family life within the African Diaspora and facilitates workshops and learning events.

An emerging dimension of her practice focuses on SHADES of Life, a multi-culture-colour approach to transgenerational family work. She facilitates these workshops and small group learning events in collaboration with Psychotherapists and Counsellors for Social Responsibility (PCSR) UK. Open to people of all backgrounds, this ‘Bridging work’ acknowledges that everyone can take action to be part of the movement for healing across colour lines.

Sonya is currently writing her first book for mental health professionals, commissioned by PCCS, UK. It explores themes that have emerged from her therapeutic practice, Ancestral Constellations and focuses on developing a Black psychological perspective on transgenerational family life. She is developing an international profile, having facilitated workshops in the UK, USA and Barbados.

www.ancestralconstellations.com

Workshop Title: Exploring Ancestral Constellations

My workshop seeks to explore systemic identity and ancestral belonging from an African Diaspora perspective. UK born, of South American, African Caribbean heritage, these themes are never far away from both my personal and professional life. And within the context of the Black Lives Matter movement, which has recently emerged from the shadows into the full gaze of a global pandemic, it feels timely.

After a decade of systemic constellations learning and training, it is clear that there are gaps in knowledge and resources for systemic and family constellation practitioners, ’all of we’ that are interested in Transgenerational Black Lives. The inequality and social justice issues that are being discussed in the public domain, raise questions about transgenerational health and wellbeing. And I believe that the systemic constellations field has much to offer Black and Brown communities, but they have been slow to find their way to this powerful healing modality.

In exploring these questions with clients over many years, I have remained open to adapting my approach to better serve the communities that I work with. During this workshop I will share ideas and the thinking behind the development of Ancestral constellations as an African orientated psychological systemic practice. It will be an emergent session, not so much ‘how too,’ but more a look at ‘what is’!

These conversations are often difficult to hold in public spaces, divisions run deep. I hope to share learnings from other practitioners who are exploring similar issues and the intention is to create a safe space for open conversation and dialogue. I will discuss the blocks and barriers that can stop some communities from utilising the constellations method. And I will share examples of how I am seeking to overcome these in my therapeutic practice.

Sonya Welch-Moring – February 2021

sonya@sonyawelchmoring.com www.ancestralconstellations.com