Understanding Intergenerational Trauma: Healing the Wounds of the Past

Intergenerational trauma, also known as transgenerational or multigenerational trauma, is becoming more widely understood, particularly through the study of epigenetics. In honor of my Irish heritage, and with St. Patrick’s Day in mind, I wanted to share insights on how trauma is passed down through generations.

We now know that intergenerational trauma is real. Traumas that are not processed get passed along to future generations, a concept explored by Mark Wolynn in his book, It Didn't Start with You. These traumas may stem from abuse and violence but also from poverty, oppression, and racism.

My Family’s Story of Intergenerational Trauma

One of the most powerful aspects of my own healing journey was recognizing the trauma I inherited from my family. As an Irish descendant, I learned about the oppression faced by the Irish people for centuries under the British Empire. The Irish were considered inferior due to their Roman Catholic faith, banned from owning land, and denied leadership positions.

By the time the Irish Potato Famine struck, the Irish were already impoverished and marginalized. The potato, introduced as a cheap and easy-to-grow food, was their main sustenance. When the crop failed, they had nothing. Despite plenty of food being exported from Ireland during the famine, it wasn’t distributed to the starving Irish people. The famine led to the deaths of about one million people, while another million were forced to emigrate.

During this time, many Irish were pressured to convert from Catholicism to Protestantism in exchange for food from soup kitchens. Those who converted were labeled “soupers” and shunned by those who resisted. This trauma of hunger, forced conversion, and displacement left deep scars that have been passed down through generations.

“Pain travels through families until someone is ready to feel it… Pain demands to be felt. And somewhere along the line, a child will be born whose charge it is to feel it all. These are your shamans, your priests and priestesses, your healers. You call them mental health patients and label their power as depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, and the like. But these are the ones who are born with the gift of feeling.”
― Stephi Wagner

The Power of Acknowledging Intergenerational Trauma

I don’t believe past generations are to blame for not processing their pain. They were in survival mode. After the famine came the Irish Revolution, two world wars, and further challenges. My parents didn’t emigrate from Ireland until the early 1960s. My great-grandfather briefly emigrated to work on the Brooklyn Bridge but returned to Ireland, where he bought a farm that’s still in our family today.

Understanding the impact of generational trauma has been a key to my own healing. While it’s not easy to confront the pain passed down through the family line, it’s empowering. Alongside the trauma, there are also strengths passed down—resilience, courage, and faith. I attribute my ability to overcome severe depression and anxiety to my ancestors’ strength, as well as to my spiritual practice today.

We All Carry Generational Trauma

Every group of people has their own history of trauma. Knowing your personal history can help you open your heart to others. It’s not about comparing who had it worse; it’s about honoring your own pain while holding space for the suffering of others. As author Kyle Gray puts it: “You are the answer to your ancestor’s prayers.”

Unfortunately, history continues to repeat itself. The oppression that took place in Ireland has echoed through the last few centuries—and is still happening today. Across the globe, even here in Canada, people are still being judged and made to feel inferior because of their religion, gender, race, culture, mental health, or sexual orientation.

Any form of suppression or judgment is an inhumanity. It’s an attack on people’s freedom, dignity, and very souls. As a society, we must learn to treat everyone as human beings—because we are all part of the same human family.

Healing Begins with Acknowledging Intergenerational Trauma

Opening yourself to the reality of intergenerational trauma is a gateway to deep healing. When we acknowledge the pain passed down to us, we begin the process of liberation—not just for ourselves, but for future generations. In honoring both the suffering and the resilience of our ancestors, we heal the wounds of the past and create space for new growth.

Gra Mór (Big Love), Michele

Written by Michele Venema BScN, RN, Psychotherapist, cEFT2 AEFTP
Nurse Psychotherapist/EFT Practitioner

From Shadows to SoulLight Counselling