By apurva 
Generational trauma which is sometimes referred to as intergenerational trauma is the shared emotional distress transmitted from one generation to the next. Such traumatic experiences can leave deep scars on the lives of individuals, families, and communities, often affecting behavior, relationships, and mental health for a long time after initial trauma. Even if we don’t always recognize its impact, the cycle of inherited trauma can influence our lives in ways we often can’t easily break free from. In this blog, we will discuss what generational trauma is, its signs and symptoms, and how we can address and heal from these emotional wounds.
Understanding Generational Trauma
Generational trauma is the passing down of trauma from one generation to another. It can be derived from different types of traumatic experiences, including violence, abuse, war, systemic oppression or loss. When unprocessed, these experiences can form deep emotional scars, which are inherited on a systemic level — often unconsciously. A child who was raised in an abusive or neglectful environment, for example, may carry the emotional impact of that trauma into his or her adult relationships, affecting how they go on to raise their own children, or how they treat others in their lives.
Generational trauma is a multifaceted cycle; it’s a series of behaviors, beliefs, and emotional reactions that get handed down from parent to child. The emotional pain of one generation — whether it’s unhealed grief or anxiety or fear — gets shaped into a family way of being together, a family ecology that ultimately defines how family members find their way in the world and how children learn to respond to the helter-skelter of life.
Signs and Symptoms of Generational Trauma
Recognizing generational trauma can be challenging because its effects are often subtle and deeply ingrained. However, there are certain signs and symptoms that may indicate its presence:
- Recurring Family Patterns: If you notice repeated patterns within your family, including addiction, emotional neglect, or unhealthy relationships, it may be generational trauma. When we are unaware of this, the patterns tend to get repeated.
- Emotional Dysregulation: People with generational trauma may feel extreme emotions—such as anger, fear, or sadness—that appear out of proportion to the situation. These are emotional reactions usually related to unprocessed trauma inherited from earlier generations.
- Chronic Anxiety or Depression: Chronic anxiety, depression, or hopelessness can indicate generational trauma. Trauma handed down through family lines can affect mental health in generations.
- Difficulty in Relationships: Generational trauma can cause difficulties in maintaining healthy relationships. This might present as fear of abandonment, trust issues or engagement in cycles of toxic relationships.
- Sense of Unworthiness: Many individuals from families with generational trauma feel inadequate or unworthy of love, success, or happiness. These feelings can be traced back to the emotional wounds passed down through the family line.
- Unexplained Fears or Phobias: In some cases, if ancestors endured trauma, the descendants may present irrational fears or phobias. These fears are often inexplicable, and might have no clear cause in the individual’s own life.
The Impact of Childhood Trauma on Generational Healing
Generational trauma is greatly tied to childhood trauma. A childhood-trauma, like any traumatic event (physical or emotional abuse, neglect or witnessing violence) can be a root cause of intergenerational trauma. These experiences shape a person’s worldview, emotional responses, and coping mechanisms. If these wounds remain unhealed, they can be transmitted to the next generation through behaviors, attitudes, and parenting styles that perpetuate the cycle.
For example, if a child is raised by emotionally absent parents, when that child becomes an adult and has their own children, they may inadvertently repeat this pattern. Similarly, a parent who has not dealt with the grief of a former trauma might have difficulty being emotionally available for their kids, transferring the pain they carry.
Steps to Heal Generational Trauma
It takes time, effort and dedication to do the deep emotional work of healing generational trauma. This is no overnight fix, but with time, intentionality, and support, healing is absolutely achievable and using trauma-informed approaches can help break the cycle of trauma in the family. There are critical steps to take at the start of this journey:
1. Acknowledge the Trauma: The first step in healing generational trauma is recognizing that it is a reality. And this can be hard to do, particularly when trauma has become normalized in a family. But acknowledging the patterns of behavior and emotional responses that have been inherited is the first step on the road to healing.
2. Explore Your Family History: In order to identify the causes of generational trauma, it is important to understand the history of your family, and the traumatic events that have framed it. Talking to family members, exploring ancestral stories, or seeking professional help can provide insights into the emotional wounds that have been passed down.
3. Seek Therapy and Professional Support: Healing generational trauma often requires professional guidance. A therapist trained in trauma recovery can assist you in working through the emotional pain related to your family history. Feelings of trauma held in the body can also be effectively healed using therapeutic approaches such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) or somatic experiencing.
4. Practice Self-Awareness and Self-Compassion: To stop the cycle of generational trauma, you need to be self-aware and self-compassionate. By recognizing how old wounds impact your current behavior, you can begin to alter unhealthy cycles. This is where self-compassion comes in and enables you to be kind to yourself as you navigate through hurtful feelings and painful experiences.
5. Create New Family Dynamics: Begin to shift, as you heal, create new, healthier dynamics in your family This can mean reestablishing boundaries, being transparent about their feelings and emotions, and focusing on providing emotional support and validation. You can interrupt patterns of generational trauma by modeling healthier approaches for your own children, fostering a safe space for them and future generations.
6. Reconnect with Your Inner Child: Healing generational trauma often involves reconnecting with your inner child and addressing the emotional wounds that have been carried since childhood. Inner child healing can help release deeply rooted emotional pain, allowing you to heal both your personal trauma and the collective trauma of your family.
7. Foster Intergenerational Healing: Intergenerational healing involves healing not just your own trauma, but also supporting the healing of future generations. This may involve discussing trauma openly, educating younger family members about emotional health, and encouraging healing practices that are passed down.
Coach Apurva emphasizes that healing generational trauma requires courage, self-awareness, and a willingness to break free from old patterns. By working through your own trauma recovery, you contribute to the healing of your family system, fostering a healthier and more supportive environment for future generations
Conclusion
Generational trauma is a complex and often hidden issue that can affect multiple generations. It takes the form of behavioral patterns, emotional scars and family dynamics that follow us into adulthood. However, healing is possible. With the act of recognizing the trauma, pursuing professional help and being mindful, we can start to heal this cycle of generational pain. Through family healing and intergenerational healing, we can create healthier, more emotionally supportive environments for ourselves and future generations. Healing generational trauma is not only about mending the past but also about building a brighter, healthier future.