We tend to think of trauma healing as a clean, linear journey with a clear beginning, middle, and end. However, healing generally looks more like the ocean. There are days when the ocean is calm, and you can breathe freely, have clarity of thought, and feel grounded. Other days, waves unexpectedly come in. Some waves are small and manageable; others feel like a surge and take you back to a time in your life that you thought had just passed. The waves you are experiencing could be considered repeating symptoms of trauma. This may come in the form of intrusive thoughts, sudden emotional outbursts, or just feeling anxious with no idea of what is triggering the anxiety. It could also show up as difficulty sleeping, feeling irritable, or feeling detached. Additionally, it may be accompanied by a strong response to something that you thought would not be triggering.

You love the fact that you’re an “open book.” In other words, vulnerability is your strong suit. You know what it’s like to grow up in a family where important matters are pushed under a rug, and you were forced to pretend that everything was fine when things were not. Between then and now, you’re doing the important work of processing your feelings and even going to therapy! Now as you’re coming to terms with the trauma you’ve experienced, you want to make it a point to end that generational pattern of avoiding your hurt. Better yet, you want to be a beacon of light to others and share what you’ve gone through with others.  

Generational trauma has become a buzzword of sorts in the last decade, but what does it look like? How does something your grandparents experienced 50 years ago shape your mental health today? Let’s walk through a scenario: