Generational Trauma

In this page we will explore the extent of Generational Trauma || About Me Page is under Navigate :)

[psychbehindthemind]

CYCLE OF VIOLENCE

Developed by Lenore Walker, the cycle of violence describes a repeating three-phase pattern in abusive relationships. The idea behind this is that people who have experienced abuse, neglect, or any other forms of violence are more likely to repeat those patterns later in life, but it doesn’t apply to every person. In the following image, this was used in my professor’s slideshow during class. 

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PRIMARY SOURCE

To me, Dr. Alycha Boehm represents what it truly means to be both impactful and compassionate. Her dedication to supporting individuals impacted by trauma and instability is not only inspiring but also highlights the importance of advocacy in trauma-informed spaces. 

Dr. Boehm is a Latina, and recently, in May, she graduated with her Doctorate. In addition to that, she also has her DSW and LCSW. Dr. Boehm is currently an assistant professor at Kutztown University. Alongside this, she is a bilingual counselor and a clinical social worker working closely with minor survivors of human trafficking. She also serves as the vice chair of the Lehigh Valley Anti-Trafficking Collaborative and provides therapy through Evan’s Counseling Services. Over a span of ten years in a nonprofit organization, she has supported teens facing unstable housing. Her current professional focus includes trauma, high-acuity mental health, personal disorders, and shame. 

With the interest of this current blog topic, I had the opportunity to interview Dr. Boehm, and obtained a better insight to Generational Trauma and how it develops over time. 

To start, one of the most impactful ideas she shared was that trauma “doesn’t just start with them… it starts with generations before them, and it becomes this norm, becomes a pattern.” This perspective emphasizes how behaviors, coping mechanisms and or emotional responses are often learned and repeated, rather than appearing suddenly.

We also talked about the connection between environment and biology (Nature vs. Nurture), particularly through the lens of epigenetics. Dr. Boehm explained that “it’s not our genes… the environment is so impactful that even that can be changed,” furthermore reinforcing the idea that nurture plays an important role in shaping how we as human individuals experience and respond to trauma. This bleeds into the next topic we discussed with Adoption cases, Dr. Boehm clarified that while trauma is not directly transferred genetically in those cases, “As long as you're living in the environment, it impacts you.” However, she also emphasized resilience, saying that negative experiences are not necessarily permanent and that supportive, stable environments can significantly reduce long-term harm. 

To me the most important takeaway from this interview was how this cycle of trauma can be broken. According to Dr. Boehm, change begins with awareness: “you can't really do better if you don't know better,” She explained that recognizing patterns, seeking help, and actually making changes are key steps in disrupting generational cycles, yet it was harder said than done… 

“If all you know is this experience or this pattern, this cycle, then that's what you've lived in, and outgrowing people or healing can sometimes leave you really isolated because… when you break cycles, you also have to break relationships or break places you've been. And that leaves you… on the road to healing, and it’s a lonely road.” – Dr. Alycha Boehm

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AI IN RESEARCH

After countless hours (3 hours) of trying to provoke ChatGPT and Google Gemini, I haven’t gotten anywhere near getting a wrong answer. At first, I asked ChatGPT if suppression is a good way to deal with trauma and intergenerational trauma. The main conclusion for that argument was that suppression could act as a coping mechanism (which is correct), but chronic suppression could lead to long-term consequences. The only thing that ChatGPT didn’t do was give me links when I specifically asked for them; it did, however, name researchers who explore this topic. 

It said: “Use this for: General explanation of how trauma is passed down. Includes environmental + behavioral transmission. "But it also says this:

“⚠️ Important (read this) For your research: These links are good starting points. BUT look for a library database sources too (peer-reviewed) 👉 So use these to: Understand the concept, pull definitions, then search similar terms in your database.”

Later on, I attempted to ask it about a scenario of a person who has broken the cycle of Generational Trauma, and it brought up Oprah Winfrey, which I was actually surprised about, (mainly because I'm not in the media often, and I only really see politics and funny videos) but after doing some small digging into it without the use of ChatGPT, I found that the AI was actually correct, which leads me to say that this time AI unfortunately actually has won against me.

But at least I can have a win, since it refused to provide me with any sources...

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AN ARTICLE SUMMARY

Ashtar R. Abboud’s, “Personality Disorders and the Parent-Child Relationship: Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma in Family Courts,” published in Family Law Quarterly, December 2024.

Before I read this article, I read the Abstract, which I felt was entirely misleading. In a short summary it stated that this article will explore generational trauma (something that we’ve already kind of known about) and how traumatic experiences can lead to genetic changes passed down through generation (epigenetics). Unfortunately when I first looked at it I felt as though this article wouldn’t be beneficial for this blog… but surprisingly I was wrong.

Which led me to believe that this information was regurgated however after reading through this article, there were a few things to note within it.

Abboud’s article highlights: personality disorders in shaping the parent-child relationship, the importance of being trauma informed/having an awareness and breaking the cycle of generational trauma within family courts, all for the benefit of a child.

Deeper down the article, towards its sources, there was two that seemed to catch my eye:

"What Are the Big 5 Personality Traits?" By Kendra Cherry, MSEd (Website): This one discussed the Big Five Personality types: Openness, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism.

"Neurobiology of Trauma & Sexual Assault"- Jim Hopper, Ph.D. - July 2015 (YouTube Video): In his research, Dr. Hopper explains how high-threat situations trigger involuntary brain responses, such as "tonic immobility" and/or fragmented memory, which lead to our biological responses towards danger.

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𝐁𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐂𝐘𝐂𝐋𝐄: 𝐀 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐑𝐓 𝐒𝐓𝐎𝐑𝐘

While progressing through this research, we’ve never discussed breaking the cycle of generational trauma. A task that is easier said than done… To truly get this point across, I've decided to do a "short story". The people mentioned in this are completely fictional; I've made this whole story up, and I hope that we can all learn something about this.

TRIGGER WARNING: Mentions of physical violence, intense arguments, read at your own discretion

Jeff and Sarah, a married couple in their early 30s with a 4-year-old son, James. From the outside, their life appears stable. Perfect even. Economically, the family is just fine in the middle class; Jeff and Sarah maintain steady jobs, and their son is thriving for his age. Having been married for six years, it would seem that they have built a strong foundation with each other and have shared every precious moment with one another. However, beneath that same stability, there are unresolved issues that begin to surface– particularly in Jeff’s behavior. 

As time went on, the tension within the house became more and more noticeable. One evening after a long day at work, Jeff came back to find the kitchen still messy, on the floor nearby the sink toys scattered around wet, and dishes piling one on top of another. What would normally be viewed as a minor inconvenience quickly escalated. His frustrations quickly turned into anger which directly pointed toward Sarah. His voice became sharp, his tone harsher with each passing second. Meanwhile James, who had been quietly playing heard the commotion from his down a hallway, froze at the sudden shift. He watched his father silently, and gripped onto his toy not knowing what to do.

Later that night, as Sarah would put James into bed, she noticed that he was unusually quiet. Especially when bringing up his father, James would clutch onto his blanket and tug it close to his face, and repeat a single phrase Jeff had said, he told his mom he was scared of his dad. At that moment, Sarah realized that this was more than just a bad stressful day from work. 

Entering their bedroom, Jeff sat down at the edge of the bed holding his head seeming to be regretful of his actions. Remaining calm but direct, Sarah began to explain that his reactions were beginning to react the same patterns in what he had described in his childhood.

In his childhood, Jeff grew up in an unstable household. His father was in and out of the picture, with or without warnings. When he was home, conflict would arise. Arguments between his parents would bring over the smallest details, some would quickly escalate by either intensifying or worse physical altercations. As a child, Jeff was not only a witness to these but was occasionally pulled into them. Over time, he has learned to associate conflict with heightened emotion, unpredictability, and a lack of control. 

At first, Jeff was in denial, defensive almost, insisting that he was just stressed and that it wasn't a big deal. However, Sarah emphasized that James did witness the altercation and pointed  out how similar his actions were to the ones he once experienced, and that if this were to continue, who knows what would happen to James when he gets older. Jeff paused, the realization was unsettling. What he once saw as “normal” reactions to frustration now became something more in depth, patterns he had never fully addressed.

In this moment, this is how Generational Trauma starts, but awareness and accountability is the key into not just stopping but preventing it as a whole. In this scenario this demonstrates how the cycle can start but it also highlights the importance of awareness and accountability. It starts:

Recognition / Awareness: Sarah noticed the patterns with Jeff’s reactions

Accountability: This falls under the small detail that Jeff did seem regretful and also with the final part of this story:

Later that night, after the tension and heat had begun to cool and settle, Jeff found himself, standing nearby, lingering outside of his son’s bedroom door. He hesitates for a moment before gently knocking and stepping inside. His son laid on his side holding his blanket close. With soft steps, Jeff made his way to the side of the bed, he sat down beside James’ feet, not saying much at first, instead he reached over and adjusted the blanket James laid with. 

“I got a little too loud earlier, huh?” He said slightly above a whisper. James shifted a bit as if trying to pull away from Jeff. He didn’t push, he simply just sat there and placed his hand on his son's shoulder, not forceful but more reassuring. After a moment, James got up and leaned on Jeff slightly , allowing Jeff to let out a quiet breath, as if finally realizing the weight of what this day had brought him.

[psychbehindthemind]

NATURE vs. NURTURE

In my book post, free mentioning “Epigenetics, the thought hadn't really crossed my mind. In simple terms, epigenetics is merely connected to the bridge of the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Nature, meaning you are born with x, y, z, while Nurture is the experiences a person can go through, like trauma, a huge stress marker to look back upon. That's at least from my perspective, yes, there is more to it, but that looks like the largest thing to note.”

While quoting myself, I’ve realized I should’ve talked about Nature vs. Nurture more.

For lack of better words, when it comes down to epigenetics and Nature vs. Nurture, Epigenetics explains how stress, trauma, and the environment can turn on or off selected genes without changing DNA itself. The real idea between these two is that Nature and Nurture are constantly interacting with each other.

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Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES)

Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) are certain events that transpire during anyone’s childhood. Referring to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention || Government Page (CDC.gov) and Doctor Alycha Boehm from Kutztown University for the majority of this information. The main key points to note about ACES is that they can:

Have long-term negative impacts on, health, opportunity and well-being

They are common and some groups (minorities) experience them more than others.

To truly pinpoint what ACEs are and what events can lead to them, we need to understand what trauma is. Some examples of trauma can be acute (small event, that still impacts), vicarious (experience through someone else) or chronic (repeated and prolonged) which could turn into Toxic stress. For the purpose of this blog topic which is Generational Trauma, we could consider all of these other forms of trauma as variables leading up to Generational Trauma. 

At the beginning of this post there is an image, this is a chart of ACEs which individuals, psychologists, therapists, even healthcare professionals could refer to. 

Adverse Childhood Experiences are potentially traumatic events that occur in childhood ranging from birth to 17 years old. Examples of these could be:

Experiencing violence, abuse, or neglect (Chronic trauma)

Witnessing violence in the home or community (Vicarious trauma)

Having a family member attempt or die by suicide (Acute trauma)

Other things that are included are the aspects of the child’s environment that can undermine their sense of safety, stability, and bonding (attachment style). Examples can include living in a household with:

Substance use problems

Mental Health Problems

Incarcerated Parent

Divorce

Now, why would the CDC mention this?

Well, an individual affected by ACEs could also experience certain changes from their day to day life, such as their Fight, Flight, Freeze, and Fawn response. Ideally, this response is activated to real danger, is time-limited and is used to ensure one’s survival in a dangerous situation. However, if a threat is prolonged and chronic and our body cannot seem to understand the threat is gone, this can negatively affect our bodies and minds. What this looks like:

(Again) Negative impacts on, health, opportunity and well-being

Unstable work, struggle with finances, and depression through life. Which could lead to… GENERATIONAL TRAUMA!

And in attempts for individuals to self sooth themselves this could lead devastating outcomes, such as:

Maladaptive Coping, for temporary relief–

Alcohol

Risk-taking Behavior

Substance abuse

Violent outburst

etc.

Statistics from the CDC shows:

“About 61% of adults surveyed across 25 states reported that they had experienced at least one type of ACE, and nearly 1 in 6 reported they had experienced four or more types of ACEs.”

“Females and several racial/ethnic minority groups were at greater risk for experiencing 4 or more ACEs.”

“Many people do not realize that exposure to ACEs is associated with increased risk for health problems across the lifespan.”

In terms of prevention for ACES–

While in my Child Psychology Class, Dr. Boehm stressed that creating trauma-informed spaces are crucial. What that means or looks like is that “environments are not just physically safe but also emotionally, psychologically, socially and morally as well.” That we must, “be our best selves and everytime we interact with a youth we have an opportunity for a trustworthy interaction.” 

The last thing I would like to leave you all with is that it takes one person, an adult, friend, colleague, a singular person to change an individual's life.

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BOOK POST

In 2016, April 26, Penguin Books published a book titled, "It Didn't Start with You | How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle” A seemingly self-help and or guide book for the general public, written by Mark Wolynn, yet I would argue that this book would not just benefit the average reader but also future psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors. Why? You may ask, well…

Mark Wolynn the author of "It Didn't Start with You" currently has over 20 years of experience within counseling as well as teaching future psychologists, psychiatrists, and counselors. Wolyn has created the Core Language Approach, (which is mentioned in his book) allows individuals to see clues to unsolved trauma passed down through generations. Alongside that Wolynn has written various articles and essays which have appeared on different small platforms such as Psych Central and has even written poetry which has appeared in The New Yorker. Fail to mention that towards the end his book under the section “Notes” Mark Wolynn lists numerous sources backing his words.

While reading, it was easy to get submerged into this topic, Wolynn does a great job of showing actually case studies which personally allowed myself to see:

Other’s perspectives

Correlate my experience with theirs 

Find a deeper meaning and understanding with the content Wolynn is trying to explain. 

To add to this, Wolynn comes to these sections where he adds in these notes for the reader to take, like an exercise for the reader to gain a deeper meaning and understanding of the content. For example, the following image is directly from the book: 

When it came down to selecting information such as the cell division process known as Mitosis, at first, when I skimmed through this book, I noticed that the word "dividing" had a footnote on it. At first, I was a little worried about what was going on, but after fully reading said chapter, I understood fully what was going on. However, if a person doesn’t know what the steps are in the cell division process they would have to research what it is.

Which brings me to my final note: the viewpoints that this book includes that I hadn't initially considered?

Epigenetics, the thought hadn't really crossed my mind. In simple terms, epigenetics is merely connected to the bridge of the Nature vs. Nurture debate. Nature, meaning you are born with x, y, z, while Nurture is the experiences a person can go through, like trauma, a huge stress marker to look back upon. That's at least from my perspective, yes, there is more to it, but that looks like the largest thing to note.

While reading through the chapter that included Mitosis, it almost amazed me to see the connection between how a person, for example, if a mother were to experience high levels of stress, that same stress can affect the body in ways that may influence the child's stress response, like their fight or flight response. Thinking more about this makes the idea of generational influences feel more serious in ways people might not even be aware of!

[emotionsintopersonality]

Why did I choose this as my profile picture? I created this drawing in my senior year of high school for my art portfolio. This piece is called Healing Hug. In my story Inner Voices, you have Eve an emotion that isn't understood. She is different in every way, but she is still part of Elinora (the main character). This is about acceptance because emotions, even the uncomfortable ones, are still part of you!

[psychbehindthemind]

Your art is stunning! The way you incorporated the warm and cool colors were definitely eye catching, and the message behind it… no words can describe it! It’s important to accept all emotions no matter what they are and where they come from whether it be the past, present, or future. This might not be as relevant but it also looks like maybe an adult figure (parental or even future self) comforting a teenager or child through a difficult time, I found that to be truly powerful! 🫶

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𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

Trauma, it's not a simple subject to understand. There are different aspects and varieties of it, Acute (single alternating event), Chronic (prolonged over a period of time), Toxic (similar to Chronic), and Generational Trauma. According to Ashtar R. Abboud, Generational Trauma is defined as “trauma experienced by one individual that is passed down to subsequent generations through biological changes, behavioral patterns and environmental factors.” 

To that end, while talking about this topic I hope we can all analyze and gain a deeper understanding of where different people come from, whether it be parents, friends, spouses, all should be included and be understood.

In this blog we will be discussing:

Circle of Violence (Abuse)— It sounds self explanatory, begins with: the honeymoon phase, tension building, the explosion phase, and reconciliation. This was developed by Dr. Lenore Walker in 1979. 

Mental health issues—  This could be Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, even Schizophrenia. Following this we will also be discussing Epigenetics and adverse childhood experiences, known as ACE’s.

Relationships— Going off from Circle of Violence, and Mental Health Issues, both of these can trickle down towards how the next generation will be affected with their relationships whether it be romantic or platonic, even with family and in the professional setting. 

The Cycle— As mentioned before, Generational Trauma / Transverse Trauma is when the previous generation goes through a life altering event, and their experience can or could spread down to their offspring.

Nature versus Nurture: Is development influenced more by biological inheritance or environmental influences. 

How the Cycle Ends— How a certain generation manages to stop and or prevent the next generation from the trauma. 

What will not be discussed in this blog:

Graphic Details— Sexual Abuse, Substance Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Self-harm. While all of these topics do or possibly contribute to Generational Trauma, it’s also an intense topic and could make the viewer feel uncomfortable or may bring up past events. To add on any graphic details will not be shared, if they are they will be as vague as possible. 

Cultural / Family Stereotyping— To avoid generalizations, *using myself as an example, “Latino families don’t talk about emotions.” This would be a form of Generalization.

Blame Centered Narratives— The intention of my blog is to emphasize and understand the cycles and the systems, and not to shift blame onto anyone. 

Lastly, while I may include personal experiences I will not be sharing all of my information, therefore the people in these stories their names will not be disclosed with the public. 

[psychbehindthemind]

In a YouTube video titled: “Inherited Pain: The Science behind Generational Trauma,” the creator Sprouts explains what Generational or Transgenerational Trauma is. The way he uses art to visualize what it is, is truly incredible!