Why this work matters
Our ancestors shape us in ways both visible and unseen. Engaging with ancestor work with consciousness and care allows us to relate with our ancestors as sources of strength and guidance. On the other hand, the unresolved energies and patterns carried from our ancestors can influence our emotional well-being, relationships, and life paths in undesirable ways. This workshop invites you to explore ancestor relationships in a way that is spiritually safe, responsible, and regenerative, for both yourself and the generations to come.
The Format & Important Dates
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Meet the Facilitators
Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2:00-5:00 PM
Stop by our table at the Spirit Hacienda open house to connect with us, pick up a flyer & registration info, ask questions directly, and learn more about the upcoming workshop in a friendly, informal setting.
Spirit Hacienda: 604 W Organ Ave
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Workshop
Monday, Nov. 17, 5:30-7:30 PM
Dive into essential teachings on ancestor work, combining animism, psychological insights, shamanic perspectives, and practical tools.
Workshop attendance is required for participation in the fire ritual.
Spirit Hacienda: 604 W Organ Ave
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Half Moon Check-In & Q&A
Monday, Dec. 1, 5:30-6:30 PM
Two weeks after our main workshop—and two weeks before the fire ritual—we’ll gather for a live, virtual group check-in. Bring your questions, share your experiences, and receive support as you continue your exploration.
Zoom link will be provided
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Fire Ritual
Saturday, Dec. 13 at 4:00 PM
After about a month of personal practice, participate in a communal fire ceremony to deepen your connection and embody your ancestor work in a sacred, supported ritual space.
The fire ritual is an optional experiential add-on to the workshop. Workshop attendance is required for ritual participation.
Spirit Hacienda: 604 W Organ Ave
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"Through Carolyn's guidance, I’ve developed tools that empower me to navigate challenges more effectively and foster a deeper connection with myself."
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"Elizabeth brings such a sense of safety and acceptance to every conversation, always meeting people with compassion and true kindness. It’s clear how much she values her work and the people she helps."
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Who is Ancestor Work for?
Ancestor work is for everyone. Tending relationships with our ancestors has been a central part of the human experience for thousands of years. For much of human history, ancestor relationship provided a way to maintain balance between the living and the dead, foster guidance, and heal intergenerational wounds.
This workshop is for anyone who:
Feels drawn to safely, consciously, and respectfully engage with their ancestors
Seeks to understand the influence of unresolved ancestral energies and heal intergenerational burdens
Wants practical tools for nurturing healthy ancestral relationships and boundaries with the spirit world
Values a thoughtful integration of shamanic wisdom traditions and psychological insight
Wishes to create a positive legacy for themselves and future generations
By the end of this workshop you will…
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Know the Difference Between the Well and Unwell Ancestors
Understand the importance of working with well ancestors and maintaining healthy spiritual boundaries to ensure safe and supportive ancestral connections.
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Understand the Effects of Unresolved Ancestral Patterns
Learn how burdens from unresolved energies and patterns in your lineage can impact your life and the lives of the descendants.
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Recognize the Legacy of Gifts from Your Ancestors
Appreciate the strengths, wisdom, and life-supporting qualities passed down through your lineage that can empower and sustain you.
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Begin Identifying Ancestral Influences in Your Life
Start recognizing ways your ancestors may be influencing your beliefs, behaviors, patterns, and life experiences, opening the door to conscious healing and transformation.
Or Carolina, or Carrie, or Caro, as many people call me. My Mexican heritage and childhood fascination with ancestral stories helped inspire my path into ancestor work and personal shamanic healing. From a young age, experiences with loss and cultural traditions like Día de Muertos opened my curiosity toward death and the possibility of connection with those who have passed.
I’m a certified hypnotherapist and a transformational coach, and have studied animism and shamanic practices for personal transformation and spiritual adulthood with teachers like Christina Pratt, Langston Kahn, and Besty Bergstrom. I love helping clients explore dreams, emotional alchemy, and trance work as tools for deep healing.
I live in a little adobe house in Las Cruces with my partner, our German Shepherd rescue dog, and six chickens who all have names.
Hi, I’m Carolyn
As a licensed mental health counselor, I take my practice into nature through outdoor walk and talk sessions with clients. I see nature as a healing partner as we engage with the incredible living landscape of the Chihuahuan Desert. My counseling background focuses on trauma and post‑traumatic growth, and I’m certified in ecopsychology and integrative mental health.
Since childhood, dreams have been important and meaningful to me. My personal journey to understand this better led me to train with intuitive psychiatrist Judith Orloff, MD, and shamanic dreamwork teacher Robert Moss to learn practices for nurturing personal and intergenerational healing, including ancestor work. I love supporting clients in their explorations of family history, generational patterns, and spirituality on the path to emotional and mental wellbeing.
I live in Las Cruces and enjoy getting my hands dirty in the garden and going on quests of beauty and awe through nature photography.
Hi, I’m Elizabeth
Land Acknowledgment
We live and work on the ancestral and present-day homelands of the Manso people, the Piro-Manso-Tiwa tribe, and the shared traditional territories of the Suma, Jumano, Jocome, Mescalero Apache, Warm Springs Apache, Chiricahua Apache, Jano, Conchos, Manso, Piro, Tapaxkolmeh, Ysleta del Sur Pueblo, Tortugas, and other Indigenous Peoples throughout time. We pay our respects to their elders, past and present, and honor their history, culture, and ongoing stewardship of this land.
Disclaimer
Content provided in workshop and related materials is for educational and informational purposes only and is not psychotherapy. Participation in this workshop and related activities does not constitute a provider-client relationship.