Intergenerational trauma (sometimes referred to as trans- or multigenerational trauma) is defined as trauma that gets passed down from those who directly experience an incident to subsequent generations. This trauma can be passed down in various ways through genetics and epigenetics, familial patterns, or cultural patterns. Intergenerational trauma may begin with a traumatic event affecting an individual, traumatic events affecting multiple family members, or collective trauma affecting larger community, cultural, racial, ethnic, or other groups/populations (historical trauma
These patterns can show up in our brain and the way we think, in our body in somatic symptoms or how we develop, in our emotions and how we feel and express them, in our behavior, in our relationships, how we see ourselves and how we understand the world. Patterns like divorce, substance abuse, depression, anxiety, abuse, chronic diseases can all have their roots in intergenerational trauma.
If you are struggling with an issue and have tried everything to address it, many times finding the patterns in your lineage and unraveling the ties that keep this pattern going can make all the difference. What ancient healers knew and what modern science is proving, these patterns can heal when we apply the right intervention.
