Signs of Intergenerational Trauma: Is Your Family Affected?

08 Jun Signs of Intergenerational Trauma: Is Your Family Affected?

Have you ever noticed emotional patterns in your family that repeat from one generation to the next — even when no one talks about them?

You’re not imagining it. What you may be seeing is the impact of intergenerational trauma — a powerful psychological phenomenon where the effects of trauma are unknowingly passed down from parents to children, often for generations.

In today’s mental health landscape, recognizing the symptoms of intergenerational trauma is a vital step toward healing. Understanding how unresolved pain shapes family dynamics can empower individuals to break the cycle and create healthier emotional legacies.

What Is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma, sometimes called transgenerational trauma, refers to the emotional, psychological, and even physical effects of trauma that are passed down from one generation to the next.

Unlike individual trauma, which arises from a single personal experience, intergenerational trauma originates from traumatic events experienced by previous generations — such as war, abuse, forced displacement, systemic racism, or loss. Even if the next generation didn’t directly experience the original trauma, the effects are often transmitted through:

• Family beliefs and narratives
• Parenting styles and emotional regulation
• Behavioral patterns and coping mechanisms
• Genetic and physiological responses to stress

Research in epigenetics and psychology supports this idea. For example, studies have shown that trauma can alter stress response systems, which may be biologically inherited. At the same time, children often learn from how adults in their family react to stress, process emotions, or avoid conflict — forming their own patterns based on what they observe.

Common Symptoms of Intergenerational Trauma

Recognizing intergenerational trauma symptoms can be challenging, especially when the behaviors feel “normal” within a family. Here are some of the most common emotional, behavioral, and physical signs:

Emotional & Psychological Symptoms

• Chronic anxiety or depression with no clear origin
• Difficulty trusting others or forming close relationships
• A persistent sense of guilt, shame, or worthlessness
• Emotional numbness or an inability to express feelings

Behavioral Symptoms

• Repeating self-sabotaging behaviors (e.g., in work, relationships)
• Avoiding emotions, vulnerability, or confrontation
• Substance use or other compulsive behaviors as coping tools
• Fear of success or a belief that happiness must be “earned”

Physical Symptoms

• Chronic stress-related conditions like fatigue, migraines, or digestive issues
• Unexplained illnesses that worsen during emotional conflict
• Heightened stress response (fight, flight, freeze) even in low-risk situations

Effects of Intergenerational Trauma on Families

The effects of intergenerational trauma often show up in subtle but significant ways within family systems. These might include:

• Communication breakdowns: Topics become taboo, emotions are dismissed, or conflicts are avoided entirely.
• Cycles of dysfunction: Patterns like emotional neglect, authoritarian parenting, or enmeshment pass down unconsciously.
• Parenting difficulties: Adults may struggle with emotional attunement or repeat harmful parenting behaviors they vowed to avoid.

Without intervention, these patterns can create emotional distance, confusion, or tension across generations — even when there’s love and good intention.

Identifying Intergenerational Trauma in Your Family

It can be difficult to see intergenerational trauma while you’re in it. Consider asking yourself the following:

• Are there repeated emotional or behavioral patterns in your family across generations?
• Is there a history of unresolved grief, abuse, or silence around major events?
• Do you or your loved ones struggle to talk openly about emotions or past experiences?
• Are guilt, shame, or emotional withholding part of your family’s unspoken rules?

Paying attention to red flags — like recurring relational struggles, fear of vulnerability, or emotional “shut-downs” — can help you begin to name and interrupt harmful cycles.

Steps to Break the Cycle of Intergenerational Trauma

Healing intergenerational trauma is possible — and it begins with awareness, compassion, and support.

1. Therapy Can Help You Heal the Root, Not Just the Symptoms

Working with a trained therapist can help you:

• Explore family history and inherited emotional patterns
• Identify how trauma is shaping your present relationships
• Learn new coping strategies and boundary-setting tools

Therapies like EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) or trauma-informed CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) are especially effective. Family counseling may also be beneficial to create healthier dynamics together.

2. Build Emotional Resilience

Outside of therapy, healing includes practices like:

• Mindfulness and grounding techniques to regulate your nervous system
• Journaling or storytelling to reframe your family’s narrative with compassion
• Open conversations with loved ones — when safe and possible — to foster understanding

Healing doesn’t mean blaming previous generations. It means recognizing that pain was passed down — and choosing to stop it with you.

How Still Waters Psychology Can Help You Address Intergenerational Trauma

At Still Waters Psychological Services, Ashley Shaw and her team offer compassionate, evidence-based support for individuals and families impacted by trauma.

With advanced training in trauma-focused therapy, family systems, and attachment, Ashley Shaw works with clients in Calgary to understand the effects of intergenerational trauma, break harmful cycles, and build stronger, more connected relationships.

Whether you’re working through inherited emotional pain, navigating complex family dynamics, or simply seeking clarity, Dr. Shaw creates a supportive space for insight, growth, and healing — tailored to your unique story.

Conclusion

Intergenerational trauma can silently shape the way we relate, cope, and parent — often without us realizing it. But once recognized, these patterns can be interrupted. With the right tools and support, you can break the cycle and begin to write a new chapter for yourself and future generations.

If this resonates with you, you’re not alone. Healing is possible — and we’re here to help.

👉 Contact Still Waters Psychology at www.stillwaterspsych.com to learn more or schedule a consultation.