Updated on March 2, 2025
Trauma doesn’t just affect the person who experiences it—it can leave deep imprints that ripple across generations. If your family has a history of loss, displacement, violence, or hardship, you may feel like you’re carrying wounds that aren’t entirely your own.
Intergenerational trauma, also called generational trauma or transgenerational trauma, refers to the ways trauma gets passed down from one generation to the next. When a traumatic event disrupts a family or community, its effects don’t always stop with those who directly experienced it. Instead, the stress, trauma responses, and emotional patterns can carry over to future generations, shaping their mental health, relationships, and even physical well-being.
This cycle can show up in many ways—chronic stress, anxiety, depression, heart disease, substance use, or difficulties in relationships. Some people grow up with a deep sense of fear, shame, or sadness without knowing exactly where it comes from. Others notice patterns of abuse, loss, or emotional hardship repeating in their family.
The good news? Trauma does not have to define your future. Understanding how it’s passed down and learning how to break the cycle can help you reclaim your well-being and create a healthier foundation for future generations.
What Is Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma happens when the psychological, emotional, and even biological effects of trauma are passed from previous generations to their children and grandchildren.
This kind of trauma can come from:
- Historical trauma, such as the Holocaust, slavery, genocide, war, or forced displacement (e.g., Native American boarding schools, Japanese American internment camps).
- Personal and family traumas, like childhood trauma, domestic violence, sexual abuse, substance use, or neglect.
- Collective trauma, where an entire group of people experiences violence, oppression, or systemic injustice.
- Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), including growing up in high-stress environments or unstable homes.
- Natural disasters and public health crises include pandemics, environmental disasters, or widespread economic hardship.
The impact of intergenerational trauma can influence everything from parenting styles and emotional regulation to long-term health issues and access to mental health care.
How Trauma Gets Passed Down
Trauma is passed through families in multiple ways. Recognizing these patterns is the first step toward breaking free.
The Science of Trauma: Epigenetic Changes
Research in genomics and epigenetics has shown that trauma can change how genes function—not by altering DNA itself, but by affecting how genes are expressed. These epigenetic changes can make future generations more vulnerable to stress, PTSD, and mental health disorders.
Dr. Rachel Yehuda, a leading researcher in this field, studied Holocaust survivors and their children. Her research found that children of survivors had higher levels of stress hormones, even though they had never directly experienced the trauma. These biological markers showed that the effects of trauma weren’t just psychological—they were inherited.
Parenting Styles & Emotional Patterns
Parents who have experienced trauma may struggle with emotional regulation, attachment, or parenting styles. Some may become overprotective, fearing their children will experience the same pain they did. Others may become emotionally distant, unable to provide the warmth and security a child needs.
These patterns can lead to:
- Anxious attachment – A deep fear of abandonment, leading to clinginess or fear of rejection.
- Avoidant attachment – Emotional detachment and difficulty forming close bonds.
- Hypervigilance – A constant state of being on edge, expecting something terrible to happen.
- Low self-esteem and self-doubt, often rooted in unspoken family pain.
These legacies of trauma can continue across generations unless they are recognized and addressed.
Family Silence & The Unspoken Burden
In many families, trauma is never openly discussed. Whether due to shame, survival mechanisms, or cultural stigma, avoiding conversations about the past can lead to:
- Dissociation from emotions, making it difficult to express or process feelings.
- Generational shame, leading to deep-seated feelings of unworthiness.
- Survival-based coping mechanisms, like numbing emotions, perfectionism, or pushing through pain instead of healing.
Dr. Yael Danieli, a trauma researcher, found that children of trauma survivors often carried an invisible emotional burden, shaped by stories that were never told.
Recognizing the Effects of Intergenerational Trauma
If you’ve ever felt like you were carrying emotional pain that doesn’t fully belong to you, you might be experiencing the effects of trauma passed down through generations. Some common signs include:
- Anxiety, depression, or PTSD symptoms that seem to run in the family.
- Unexplained guilt, sadness, or fear that doesn’t seem connected to personal experiences.
- Chronic stress, health disparities, or physical illnesses, including heart problems, autoimmune disorders, or chronic pain.
- Difficulty setting boundaries or struggling in relationships.
- A history of addiction, abuse, or mental health struggles in the family.
How to Break the Cycle of Trauma
Healing from intergenerational trauma isn’t about blaming past generations—it’s about changing how trauma affects your life today.
Acknowledge Your Family’s History
- Learn about your family’s experiences with war, systemic oppression, natural disasters, or loss.
- Journal about patterns you’ve noticed in your emotions, relationships, or parenting style.
- If possible, talk to family members to gain insight into their experiences.
Seek Therapy & Professional Support
- Trauma-focused therapy (such as EMDR) can help process trauma stored in the nervous system.
- Psychotherapy can help uncover hidden emotional wounds and break generational trauma patterns.
- Support groups can offer connection and validation from others who understand.
Practice Reparenting & Inner Child Work
- Self-reparenting means giving yourself the love and security you may have lacked in childhood.
- Heal your inner child through self-compassion and self-care practices.
- Positive affirmations and self-acceptance can help rewire the brain for self-worth.
Set Healthy Boundaries & Improve Relationships
- Learn to say no without guilt.
- Choose healthier relationships with emotionally safe people.
- Teach the next generation about self-worth, emotional intelligence, and resilience.
Healing Is Possible
Healing from intergenerational trauma is not about erasing the past—it’s about reclaiming your future. Whether your family has a history of war, systemic oppression, childhood trauma, domestic violence, or substance use, you have the power to rewrite the story for yourself and future generations.
You are not alone. You are not bound to your past. The cycle can end with you.
If you’re ready to start your healing journey, Firefly Therapy Austin is here to help. Our trauma-informed therapists can guide you through breaking free from the cycle of trauma and building a healthier, more fulfilling future. Reach out today and begin your path to healing.