Intergenerational Trauma

Are there any pains or traumas in your life that didn’t start with you?

War, genocide, slavery, forced migration, colonization, and discrimination are all examples of what could lead to intergenerational trauma. If your ancestral family line has lived through any of these experiences, it’s possible that you may be inherited these traumas from your ancestors. Also, intergenerational trauma can also be passed not only through your ancestral line, but also through societal and cultural lines, and its effects can be seen in entire communities and society.

How Does Intergenerational Trauma Show Up?

Intergenerational trauma can manifest in a variety of ways in someone’s life. Some examples include:

  • scarcity mindset

  • anger/rage

  • colonial mentality

  • low self esteem and low sense of worth

  • depression, anxiety

  • self destructive behaviors, like addiction

  • burnout

  • physical health issues, like heart issues, diabetes, and chronic pain

  • codependency

  • parentified children

  • shame

  • self-policing and silencing

  • relationship difficulties

  • difficulty with trust and attachment

When it’s an intergenerational trauma passed through societal lines, it can also show up as cultural and societal practices and patterns that perpetuate cycles of trauma and oppression.

You Can Also Inherit Integenerational Blessings and Strengths

If it’s possible to inherit traumas from our ancestors, it is also possible for us to inherit the wisdom, blessings, and strengths of our ancestors as well. Our ancestors have wisdom that can be invaluable to us. We may inherit intergenerational blessings like

  • support systems

  • communities

  • value and belief systems

  • resilience

  • strong sense of self

  • powerful and positive role models

While ancestral and intergenerational strengths do not negate the effects of intergenerational trauma, they can be a foundation for intergenerational healing and growth.

Intergenerational Healing

If there are any traumas and pains that are not yours, alongside your inherited strengths and blessings, therapy can help you experience ancestral healing. Therapy can also support you in living a life with an abundance mindset, to honor the pain in your family line, to release internalized oppression, to celebrate and participate in meaningful rituals, to rest, and to connect with your internal light and ancestral wisdom.

What Can I Do?

If you’re wanting to engage in a journey of connecting with your intergenerational traumas to break the cycle, please reach out to schedule an appointment. Just because you inherited something doesn’t mean you have to keep it, and we can venture into that journey together.