Intergenerational Trauma - Part 2

This is a continuation of my blog from 21 July 2020, "Intergenerational Trauma Part 1," where I explored inherited trauma and its impact across generations. In that piece, I reflected on how trauma is passed down, how it manifests in our bodies and emotions, and how I personally encountered this phenomenon through EFT tapping and personal experiences.

For Part 2, I deepened my exploration by working with a Family Constellation Trainer and Practitioner to address an intense and seemingly irrational fear I had experienced. However, what surfaced during the session was much deeper than just that fear—it was the anger and fear of past generations that I had unknowingly carried. These were emotions tied to oppression, fear, silence, and survival. I welcomed them, acknowledged their weight, and, in a sacred act of healing, returned their fear and anger to them. In doing so, I honored their courage and pain, recognizing their sacrifices so that I could exist today. This act of witnessing and restoring dignity became a powerful step in breaking the cycle of inherited trauma.

Family Constellation Therapy and Healing Generational Trauma

Family Constellation Therapy, developed by Bert Hellinger, is a therapeutic approach that reveals hidden dynamics within a family system that may contribute to emotional struggles, fears, and repeated patterns. It suggests that we unconsciously carry unresolved traumas, grief, or conflicts from past generations, often as a way of maintaining belonging within the family system.

By engaging in systemic healing work, we acknowledge these entanglements and allow for reconciliation and release. The therapy typically involves setting up a "constellation"—a spatial representation of family members, where participants (or symbolic representatives) embody different roles. Through this, unconscious patterns and emotions emerge, providing profound insights into the roots of personal struggles.

What I Experienced in My Own Healing

In my session, I confronted generational fear and oppression—the fear of speaking up, the fear of not being safe. These burdens weren’t mine alone; they belonged to those who came before me, ancestors who had to suppress their voices for survival. By acknowledging this truth, I could return what wasn’t mine to carry while still holding space for their struggles with love and respect. I chose to see them, to witness their wounds, and to honor them—not by carrying their burdens, but by recognizing their strength and offering healing back through love and remembrance.

Breaking the Cycle Through Awareness and Healing

Family Constellation Therapy helps to:

• Uncover unconscious family patterns affecting present-day emotions and behaviors.

• Reconcile past wounds by acknowledging hidden loyalties and burdens.

• Empower individuals to step out of repeating cycles and reclaim their own paths.

• Restore dignity and love to those who came before, transforming generational pain into healing energy.

  
  

When we do this work, we don’t just heal ourselves—we heal the family line. We create a new legacy, one where pain no longer dictates the future.

If this resonates with you, I encourage you to explore your own family story and consider the possibility of inherited patterns influencing your present life. Healing begins when we acknowledge, witness, and choose a new path forward.