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Trauma doesn’t always start with us. Science shows it can be passed through families, shaping both our genes and emotional patterns. Here’s what that means—and how healing can break the cycle.


By Sergio Toledo
Editor-in-Chief, Heed to Heal


Introduction

Sometimes the pain we carry isn’t only ours. We feel it in our bones, our behaviors, our fears—yet we can’t trace where it started. Science is beginning to show what many cultures have known for centuries: trauma can echo through generations, leaving marks not only on our minds but even on our genes.

This doesn’t mean we’re doomed to repeat the pain of the past. It means we have the opportunity to notice, understand, and heal what was passed down—both for ourselves and for the generations that follow.

The Science of Intergenerational Trauma

Studies in the field of epigenetics have shown that trauma can cause changes in how our genes are expressed. It’s not that trauma rewrites our DNA, but it can “switch on” or “switch off” certain genes, influencing stress responses, mood regulation, and even physical health. These genetic changes can then be passed to children and grandchildren.

For example, research on descendants of Holocaust survivors and families impacted by major disasters has found increased levels of stress hormones and altered coping mechanisms, even in those who didn’t directly experience the trauma. This suggests that trauma isn’t only remembered through stories—it can leave a biological imprint.

Emotional Patterns That Carry through Families

Even beyond the genetic level, trauma is often passed down through behaviors, beliefs, and emotional habits. A family shaped by fear, scarcity, or unhealed pain may unintentionally teach those same patterns to their children.

  • A parent who grew up in chaos might struggle with emotional regulation.
  • A grandparent’s silence about painful events might teach avoidance rather than openness.
  • A lineage of stress or poverty might normalize overwork, mistrust, or neglecting self-care.

These patterns aren’t always obvious until we step back and ask: Whose pain am I carrying that isn’t mine?

Breaking the Cycle of Generational Trauma

Healing begins with awareness. The moment we recognize that some of our struggles may have roots beyond our own lifetime, we can stop blaming ourselves and start exploring what needs to shift.

  • Acknowledge the past. Naming the trauma or family history—whether through conversations, therapy, or research—can bring clarity.
  • Practice emotional literacy. Notice how you respond to stress or conflict. Are these reactions truly yours, or do they echo what you grew up seeing?
  • Allow yourself to grieve. Healing isn’t about blaming those before us—it’s about giving space to the pain they couldn’t process.
  • Seek support. Therapy, somatic healing, or trauma-informed practices can help shift both emotional and physical imprints of inherited trauma.
  • Create new patterns. Every small act of self-care, boundary-setting, and intentional love is a way of rewriting the story.

You’re Not Broken—You’re Becoming Aware

Knowing that trauma can be passed down isn’t about feeling trapped—it’s about understanding that healing is possible. Each generation has the power to soften the pain that came before. By choosing to notice, to nurture, and to heal, we change the path for those who come after us.

What you heal in yourself doesn’t stop with you. It ripples forward.

References:

  • Yehuda, R., & Lehrner, A. (2018). Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: Putative role of epigenetic mechanisms. World Psychiatry.
  • Kellermann, N. P. (2013). Epigenetic transmission of Holocaust trauma: Can nightmares be inherited? Israel Journal of Psychiatry.
  • American Psychological Association. (2020). The Legacy of Trauma
  • National Institutes of Health. (2021). Epigenetics and Inherited Stress
  • van der Kolk, B. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score.

Originally published by Heed to Heal, 07.24.2025, under the terms of a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International license.