What does generational trauma look like? [usatoday.com]

Ingrid Cockhren 4/10/232:30 PM

By Joy Ashford, USA TODAY, April 6, 2023

According to many therapists and mental health professionals, sometimes trauma isn't derived from one-time, extreme life events like a tragic tornado, a school shooting or a car crash. Many people have reported they also experience generational trauma, meaning they suffer from the lingering effects of intense short-term or chronic stressors felt by their family or community.

“I define generational trauma as incidents that live in our body, and in our emotional psyche, that we have not necessarily experienced ourselves and we have passed on through family experiences,” says Gwendolyn VanSant, a nonprofit CEO and member of the Trauma Research Foundation’s Board of Directors.

What are symptoms of generational trauma?

To VanSant, people are often unaware of the signs of generational trauma, which she says can include depression, anxiety or distrust of certain groups or institutions.

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What are symptoms of generational trauma?

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