Do you remember watching the tragedy of September 11, 2001 unfold? Can you recall how your parents or grandparents spoke about World War II? Is there someone in your lineage that was abusive or captured by substance use? Intergenerational trauma can be defined as a trauma response (violence, low self-esteem, fear, mistrust, or difficulty regulating emotions) that is passed down from those who directly experienced a trauma to later generations (Franco, 2021).
If this resonates close to home for you, what follows are steps toward recovery.
Recognize, Relate – Awareness is one of the earliest doorways to freedom from pain. Acknowledge that a trauma (large or small, single incident or chronic) happened in your family. Get curious how that fact sits in your mind and body. Then, see if you can compare your own feelings to those of your relatives who are currently living or from generations past. How has this shaped your view of the world?
Cope, Cultivate – As more historical details emerge, you may find yourself reliving certain events – possibly some before you were born. Practice intentional self-care, breathing and exercise routines, and your own coping strategies, to keep yourself grounded. Make it a point to model regulating yourself so your children and the next generation learn how to handle challenging emotions.
See, Respond – Investigate the story of your family’s trauma, and observe how it is shared. Have you responded in a maladaptive way, learning from the past? Are you distrusting or fearful of someone or something? Where do your emotions, beliefs, or actions personally fit within the family narrative? Seek out support: therapy, your own research, extended family, friends, or a spiritual community. Your processing of trauma may look similar or different from those closest to you.
Write, Rewrite – By giving the trauma a voice and name, you may find your own power and voice returning. When you are ready, write out the story of what happened. What do you want the next generation to believe about the world? How would your life, and those of your children’s children look with lived-out resilience and healing from trauma?
These steps should not be substituted for the quality care of a therapist. However, with curiosity and a willingness to face the burdens passed from generation to generation, you can plant seeds of lasting freedom.
In this process, if you find you are experiencing symptoms of PTSD – flashbacks, panic attacks, hypervigilance, difficulty concentrating, self-destructive behavior – it is best to see a specialized trauma therapist who can help you process your responses to what you have discovered.
To schedule a therapy appointment with Andrew Denecke, or one of our therapists at LiveFree Counseling, who specialize in trauma, please call 720.465.6180 or click here.
Franco, F. (2021). Understanding intergenerational trauma: an introduction for clinicians. GoodTherapy. Retrieved August 15, 2021, from https://www.goodtherapy.org/blog/Understanding_Intergenerational_Trauma.
