What Is Intergenerational Trauma — And What Does Epigenetics Have To Do With It?
We often think of trauma as something that happens to an individual — a painful event or experience that leaves a psychological scar. But what if trauma can be passed down through families, even if the next generation didn’t experience the original event directly?
This is the concept of intergenerational trauma, and it’s gaining increasing attention in both therapy and science. Alongside it, research into epigenetics is beginning to show us how the effects of trauma may not just be emotional or behavioural, but biological as well.
What Is Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma refers to the transmission of the effects of trauma from one generation to the next. This can happen in families where earlier generations experienced significant adversity, such as:
War, genocide, or forced migration
Slavery, colonialism, or racial oppression
Abuse, addiction, or neglect
Poverty, imprisonment, or systemic injustice
Even if a child isn’t directly exposed to those traumas, the emotional climate they grow up in may be shaped by them. For example, a parent who survived extreme hardship may struggle with anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, or attachment — which in turn impacts how they relate to their child.
Over time, the family inherits a kind of “emotional legacy,” where unspoken pain, patterns of coping, and relationship difficulties get passed on — sometimes silently.
What Is Epigenetics?
Epigenetics is a relatively new field of science that studies how our environment and experiences can influence the way our genes are expressed. It doesn’t change the genetic code itself, but it can turn certain genes “on” or “off,” which affects how cells function.
This is important in the context of trauma. Research, particularly in animal studies and some human populations (such as Holocaust survivors and their descendants), suggests that traumatic experiences can lead to epigenetic changes. These changes might influence how future generations respond to stress, regulate mood, or process fear.
In other words, trauma might not just be inherited emotionally or socially — it could leave a biological imprint, too.
How Might This Show Up in Therapy?
Clients affected by intergenerational trauma may describe feelings or struggles that seem out of place or hard to trace:
A persistent sense of fear or unease, even in safe environments
Guilt or shame that feels "inherited"
Difficulty trusting others, without knowing why
Family patterns of emotional avoidance, anger, or disconnection
Feeling responsible for others' pain
Therapy can help by creating a space to explore not just the individual’s personal history, but their family story too. Understanding the context of intergenerational trauma can be incredibly validating — helping clients realise, “It’s not just me.”
Can Intergenerational Trauma Be Healed?
Yes — and recognising it is often the first step. While we can't change the past, we can change how it's carried forward. Through therapy, clients can:
Break cycles of silence, shame, or emotional suppression
Learn to regulate their nervous system and responses to stress
Build healthier relationships and parenting patterns
Reclaim a sense of identity and agency
Healing intergenerational trauma is about more than individual wellbeing — it can reshape entire family systems and future generations.
You Are Not Broken — You Are Carrying Something
If you feel weighed down by emotional burdens that don’t seem to belong solely to you, you’re not imagining it. Whether shaped by your own experiences or those of generations before you, your pain deserves attention — and healing is possible.
You are not broken. You are carrying something. And you don’t have to carry it alone.
