How therapy can help recognize and heal from intergenerational trauma
When working through psychological, emotional, or relational difficulties, it can be important to consider them in a historical context. Traumatic experiences in our families and our communities can have a ripple effect that reaches multiple generations. Because the original traumatic experiences took place before our time, it is usually difficult to recognize how some of our own experiences are linked to this distant past. However, this can be essential in order to fully appreciate the origin of our own experiences and to try to break the cycle that we unknowingly became part of.
What is intergenerational trauma?
Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of trauma from one generation to the next, impacting the psychological, emotional, and even physical well-being of individuals, families, groups, and communities. This type of trauma can stem from a wide range of sources, from the deeply personal to the systemic. Some of these sources may include sexual abuse, child neglect, physical or emotional violence, war, genocide, displacement, colonization, and other forms of interpersonal or systemic oppression and violence.
The effects of such complex trauma can be profound and enduring, shaping the worldview, behaviors, and relationships of those affected. Intergenerational trauma disrupts the natural process of healing and resilience, as it becomes deeply embedded in the collective unconscious of a community or family. Even if the past experiences are known, their impact might remain dissociated and out of awareness.
How does intergenerational trauma get transmitted?
Survivors of trauma may inadvertently pass down their pain, fear, and coping mechanisms to their descendants, creating a cycle of suffering that can persist for generations. This transmission can occur through a multitude of channels, including direct or unconscious communication, family dynamics, or cultural practices. Trauma is more likely to be transmitted from one generation to the next when, consciously or not, traumatic experiences remain unspoken or unspeakable, when family secrets abound, and when emotions are generally not expressed or allowed.
Traumatic experiences, particularly those occurring in early childhood, can become unconsciously repressed or dissociated to defend ourselves against the unbearable anxiety and fear they produce. These unrecognized and unresolved traumas may continue to exert influence on our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, even if they remain unconscious. As a result, we may unknowingly “transfer” unresolved emotions or conflicts from our ancestors onto our own relationships and experiences.
More specifically, intergenerational trauma can be rooted and expressed in internalized relational patterns that started in earlier generations. When caregivers are unable to provide consistent, nurturing, and “good enough” experiences to their children due to their own un processed traumas, it can lead to disruptions in the development of healthy internal representations. These internalized representations influence individuals' perceptions of themselves and others, shaping their capacity for intimacy, trust, and emotional regulation, repeating the cycle in the next generations.
The role of early relationships in the transmission of generational trauma
One of the ways in which intergenerational trauma is transmitted, is through the internalized representations of self and others that individuals carry forward from their early relational experiences. These internalized patterns shape individuals' perceptions, emotions, and behaviors in subsequent relationships, contributing to the transmission of trauma across generations. Some of the mechanisms that may contribute in this process include:
Identification with the Aggressor: In situations where caregivers have been perpetrators of trauma, such as abuse or neglect, individuals may internalize aspects of their aggressor's identity or, alternatively, of their aggressor’s expectations. This process of identification with the aggressor can lead to the perpetuation of abusive, neglectful, or avoidant relationship patterns in subsequent generations, as individuals unconsciously replicate the relational dynamics they experienced in childhood.
Introjection of Traumatic Experiences: Traumatic experiences within the family system can be introjected, or internalized, as part of mental representations of self and others that we develop since childhood. These introjected traumas become integrated into individuals' sense of self and influence their perceptions of relationships and the world. For example, a child who witnesses domestic violence may internalize feelings of fear, helplessness, or worthlessness, which can shape their future interactions and relationships.
Interpersonal Patterns and Attachment Styles: Intergenerational trauma can result in disruptions in attachment bonds and interpersonal patterns within families. Caregivers who have experienced trauma may struggle to provide consistent, nurturing, and attuned caregiving, leading to insecure attachment styles in their children. These insecure attachment patterns, characterized by anxiety, avoidance, or disorganization, can then be passed down through generations, perpetuating the cycle of trauma and relational dysfunction.
Transgenerational Repetition: Individuals may unconsciously seek to repeat or reenact unresolved relational dynamics from their past in an attempt to master or resolve them. This repetition is in itself a form of remembering, which can lead individuals to recreate traumatic experiences or dysfunctional relationship patterns in their own families, perpetuating the cycle of intergenerational trauma.
How can you recognize intergenerational trauma?
Intergenerational trauma can manifest in various forms across different generations. While some individuals may exhibit overt symptoms of trauma, such as anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD or C-PTSD), others may develop maladaptive coping mechanisms, including substance abuse, aggression, or avoidance behaviors.
Since the original traumatic experiences may remain unknown or dissociated, be transformed as they are transmitted across generations, and become intertwined with the experiences of multiple family members, intergenerational trauma can be difficult to identify. However, it often manifests in repetitive patterns of behavior, emotions, and relationship that seem to recur across generations. Individuals may experience unexplained symptoms and distress, such as anxiety, depression, somatic complaints, or substance abuse, that seem disproportionate to their current life circumstances. These symptoms may stem from unresolved trauma that has been passed down through generations and remains dissociated, unacknowledged, or unprocessed.
Intergenerational trauma will often impact individuals' ability to form and maintain healthy relationships. People may struggle with trust, intimacy, and emotional regulation in their interpersonal interactions, leading to difficulties in establishing secure attachment bonds and fulfilling relationships. Family dynamics characterized by insecure attachment patterns, conflict, enmeshment, or emotional distance, might reflect unresolved trauma within the family system. These relational patterns might lead to transgenerational themes and narratives that emerge within families. These themes may revolve around loss, victimization, resilience, or survival, reflecting the legacy of trauma passed down through generations.
How can psychodynamic therapy help heal from intergenerational trauma?
Psychodynamic or psychoanalytic psychotherapy can play a crucial role in healing from intergenerational trauma. It can offer the opportunity for a joint exploration of the unconscious roots of intergenerational trauma, including unresolved conflicts, repressed memories, and unconscious defenses against dissociated and overwhelming emotions. By expanding our awareness and understanding, people can gain insight into the underlying causes of their emotional distress.
Intergenerational trauma often disrupts attachment bonds and relational patterns within families and within our own mind. Psychodynamic trauma therapy can help people explore their attachment histories, identify patterns of relating, and work through attachment wounds. Through this process, psychotherapy can facilitate the integration of split-off parts of self and our experience, allowing individuals to reclaim disowned aspects of their individual and family identity and history, and to develop a more cohesive sense of self. As psychoanalysis has recognized for a long time, this is a journey that allows us to turn ghosts into ancestors.
Through this process, psychodynamic therapy can help people recognize and interrupt patterns of repetition and reenactment of intergenerational trauma. By fostering insight into unconscious relational dynamics and providing opportunities for new experiences within the therapeutic relationship, individuals can begin to break free from the cycle of trauma and create healthier patterns of relating for future generations.
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