The Legacy in Our Bones: Understanding Intergenerational Trauma and Epigenetics
“We inherit more than eye color and blood type from our ancestors — we can also carry their pain.”
When we think about inheritance, we often focus on physical traits or family traditions. But emerging research in psychology and biology suggests that trauma, too, can be passed down through generations, not just through stories or behaviors, but on a biological level. This is the essence of intergenerational trauma, and the science of epigenetics is helping us understand how it happens.
What is Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma, sometimes called transgenerational trauma, refers to the ways trauma experienced by one generation can affect the mental, emotional, and even physical health of future generations. It can stem from large-scale events like war, genocide, displacement, or slavery; but also from personal and familial traumas such as abuse, addiction, or neglect.
Children and grandchildren of trauma survivors may find themselves experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, hypervigilance, or emotional dysregulation, even if they didn’t directly experience the traumatic events themselves. This can lead to confusing and deeply rooted patterns of suffering that feel both personal and ancestral.
Enter Epigenetics: Trauma and the Body
Epigenetics is the study of how behaviors and environment can cause changes that affect the way our genes work, without altering the DNA sequence itself. In other words, our genes can be “turned on or off” by life experiences, including trauma.
For example, studies in animals and humans have shown that exposure to chronic stress or traumatic events can lead to epigenetic changes that affect how the body processes stress hormones like cortisol. These changes can, in some cases, be passed down to offspring, influencing how they respond to stress, form relationships, and navigate the world.
Real-World Examples
Children of Holocaust survivors have been found to have different stress hormone levels than the general population.
Descendants of those affected by slavery, colonization, and forced migration may carry the weight of unresolved trauma in both mind and body.
Families affected by cycles of addiction or abuse often see emotional patterns repeated until healing work is done.
While these changes aren’t destiny, they do highlight how our bodies and minds are shaped by what has come before, and they underscore the importance of trauma-informed care and systemic healing.
Breaking the Cycle: Healing is Possible
The good news is that epigenetic changes can be reversed. Our bodies are adaptive and responsive, and healing work, whether through therapy, community support, mindfulness, or somatic practices, can help shift both individual and generational patterns.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I often work with clients who are carrying more than just their own stories. Together, we explore how these inherited wounds show up in the present and begin the process of reclaiming safety, connection, and agency.
Healing intergenerational trauma isn't just personal; it's powerful. When you do this work, you're not only healing yourself. You're interrupting cycles that may have been in motion for decades, even centuries.
Final Thoughts
Intergenerational trauma is real and so is intergenerational healing. Understanding the science of epigenetics gives us language and validation for what so many families have intuitively known: that trauma can echo across generations, but it doesn’t have to define them.
If you’re ready to explore how these patterns may be showing up in your life and how to begin healing, I’m here to help.
Reach out to schedule a consultation or learn more about trauma-informed therapy at Helping Hands Counseling.
