![definition of intergenerational trauma definition of intergenerational trauma](https://mdpi-res.com/bookfiles/book/3479/Intergenerational_Trauma_and_Healing.jpg)
Now, you might be asking yourself, “How does this show up in families?” Generational trauma can affect a wide variety of families and show up in ways that you might not think of such as:Ī family might seem emotionally numb or have strong hesitancies about discussing feelingsĪ family might see discussing feelings as a sign of weaknessĪnother family might have trust issues with “outsiders” and seem continually conflictual Generational trauma gives us, as therapists, the lens of wondering Hmm, is this a pattern for this person’s family? And how can we break this cycle? Luckily for us, this lens is becoming more and more common and is given a more serious focus than in the past. Generational trauma is a traumatic event that began decades prior to the current generation and has impacted the way that individuals understand, cope with, and heal from trauma. It means that we can view the psychological effects of trauma being transferred from one generation to another. With all of those things in mind, we can now consider generational trauma which is “transmitted through attachment relationships where the caregiver has experienced relational trauma and have significant impacts upon individuals across the lifespan, including predisposition to further trauma” (Isobel, S., Goodyear, M., Furness, T., & Foster, K., 2019). In children this can look like attempting to avoid school, tummy aches, problems with sleeping, eating, anger, and showing attention-seeking behaviors. This can look like anxiety, trouble sleeping, feeling disconnected or confused, having intrusive thoughts, or withdrawing from others. When we experience any kind of trauma we have both emotional and physical reactions. Some causes of trauma can be the loss of a loved one, a natural disaster, living with a caregiver or partner who misuses substances, severe illness or injury, or witnessing an act of violence. Some people may experience many “little t” traumas, others experience one “Big T” trauma, or can experience a mix of both. It can be deeply disturbing to the individual and can cause them to feel out of control of the situation.Īs therapists, we describe trauma as “Big T”, such as the death of a caregiver, or “little t”, like breaking an arm, depending on how long the individual experiences negative effects of the event.
![definition of intergenerational trauma definition of intergenerational trauma](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/FDAuGnlX0AEC5yp.jpg)
Trauma is described as an experience that happens in an individual’s life that creates serious harm, whether that’s physical, mental, or emotional. As therapists, we address issues and feelings that our clients are currently dealing with but in some cases, these problems are so ingrained in a person or family that they can be caused by what’s called generational trauma.īefore we get into generational trauma it might be helpful to deeper explain what trauma means in a mental health setting.