Breaking Free from Generational Trauma
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This is a space for reflection, growth, and meaningful conversations. Here, I explore mental health, healing, and the journey toward well-being—one page at a time. Whether you're seeking insight, support, or just a moment of calm, I’m glad you’re here.
Introduction to Generational Trauma
Generational Trauma is something most (if not all) people experience. Usually, it occurs because no one has consciously noticed it. We often see it as a part of our ‘normal’ family dynamic. It takes a tremendous amount of courage and strength to break a cycle of Generational Trauma. Often, taking that step feels too risky or unknown to walk towards. Let’s understand this experience more together.
What is Generational Trauma?
Generational trauma happens when someone experiences a series of traumatic events, and this bleeds into their family dynamic, passed from one generation to the next.
An example
A great-grandfather who lived through wartime learned to survive on very little, where rationing made every crumb of resources matter. He raised his son with strict rules about food, insisting that nothing be wasted and reacting strongly when it was. His son grew up with anxiety around scarcity, despite never experiencing war.
As an adult, the son passed these habits to his own children, creating pressure and guilt around food without explaining why. By the time the grandchildren grew up, the war was distant, but they still felt uneasy about waste and abundance. In this way, the effects of wartime rationing were quietly passed down through generations.
How to break a cycle of Generational Trauma
Having a compassionate response to generational trauma can be empowering and reduce the need to place blame or shame on anyone. Tara Brach uses the RAIN Model as a framework to help us explore our own responses through the lens of compassion.
Beginning here can be a gentle way to work towards further understanding of our generational trauma. It uses a combination of mindfulness and compassion-focused techniques.
Healing from Generational Trauma
Healing from generational trauma is a process that takes time, patience, and courage. It often involves stepping away from familiar family patterns and gently confronting parts of ourselves we may struggle to accept or understand.
Building a foundation of self-care, compassion, and grace for both ourselves and those who came before us can help us feel safer to explore our own experiences of family and generational trauma.
In my next post, I’ll be exploring Self Care while trying to change your experience of Family Dynamics. If you found this helpful or insightful, I’d love for you to join my mailing list. Click here to join.
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Thanks for reading - Kelly
Hi 👋 I’m Kelly
Meet the Face behind the Blog
I’m a Counsellor & Psychotherapist. I find passion in helping others navigate their complex family relationships, estrangement and all the layers that come with these experiences. I have personal experience in most areas I work and find this adds depth to the relationships my clients and I build.
Outside of work, I love escaping to other worlds through reading. I’m a cat lover and find the most joy in my life when it feels settled, quiet and slow-paced.
