The Weight of Generational Trauma

Like the Horrible Denim Quilt My Ex Insisted We Use

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If you’ve read my memoir,, you know that trauma and its aftermath is a hot topic for me. In the book, I touch on the abuse and trauma I witnessed or heard in my youth and my experiences with trauma and abuse, personally and professionally, throughout adulthood. Professionally, my trauma is linked to having spent nearly 30 years working either directly or indirectly with victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault — vicarious trauma that piled on to my personal trauma.

Although the book begins with me sharing about my mom’s experiences with childhood sexual assault and explores various types of trauma, with a deeper dive into resilience and resourcefulness, what I did not explore was the topic of “generational trauma.” As a result of recent discussions, this is a reality that I am only now beginning to address for myself as I feel the weight of the trauma blanket I laid on my children and family.

Since we just passed Mother’s Day, let’s dive in, shall we?

Simply put, generational trauma, also referred to as intergenerational trauma, is the idea that trauma experienced in one generation (e.g. by a parent or other caregiver) can be passed down…