All you need to know about ancestral healing and intergenerational trauma

ancestral healing

All You Need to Know About Ancestral Healing and Intergenerational Trauma

You may have inherited your father’s tall stature or your mother’s musical skills, but that's not all. We also inherit their pain, fears, and traumas. This hidden emotional legacy, often unnoticed, is called intergenerational trauma. It can influence the behavior, emotions, and well-being of future generations.

Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist and Trauma Therapist Nissa Rahim explains that intergenerational trauma occurs when we subconsciously entangle with the trauma of our ancestors. Recent research has shown that trauma can trigger epigenetic modifications, which can change gene expression and potentially be inherited.

Take, for example, Sara (name changed), a successful lawyer whose parents separated when she was 13. In times of stress, she turned to overworking and alcohol abuse, mirroring her parents' behaviors. Through Family Constellation therapy, Sara discovered she was unconsciously loyal to both parents—studying law like her mother and turning to alcohol like her father.

To understand who we are, we must know where and who we come from. Nissa Rahim has helped many identify and heal old family wounds through ancestral healing. Family Constellation work, developed by Bert Hellinger in the 1990s, is an alternative therapeutic method to uncover hidden family dynamics and repressed feelings within the Family System.

Family Constellation therapy involves a group session guided by a therapist. This process supports healing, reconciliation, and a shift in perspective. Traumas suffered by previous generations can influence current difficulties, even if the original events are unknown to those affected now. For instance, grandparents who lived in a war-torn land may pass on survival skills like hypervigilance, which can be harmful in a peaceful environment.

Trauma can be inherited through epigenetic changes, linking to various illnesses, behaviors, and health issues, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, neurodegenerative and psychological disorders, addictions, and more. Our ancestors' fears, anger, and grief can become our legacy.

However, there is hope. Mark Wolynn, Director of The Family Constellation Institute, suggests steps to break the cycle of emotional trauma:

1. Awareness: Recognizing and accepting that you may be acting out inherited fears is a crucial first step. Awareness can lead to healing.

2. Explore Your Family History: Investigate your family's past. Uncover hidden secrets, untold stories, and unhealed traumas. Understanding these can help you stop reliving elements of traumas that aren't yours.

3. Communicate with Your Children: Openly discuss your family's history with your children. When age-appropriate, share the not-so-fun aspects of their grandparents' lives. This knowledge can help them understand and break the cycle.

While we can't change the past or our lineage, we can change the present and future. Reflect on what your children are inheriting. Consider whether your unresolved issues could impact them. Change is challenging and often pushes us beyond our limits, but it is essential for growth. Before your external world can change, your inner world must transform, including your thoughts and willingness to heal. If you're just a step away from a more complete life, what would that step be?