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In my work as a Gestalt practitioner, I have often seen how the stories we tell don't end with our own experience. Sometimes our pain goes far beyond what we have personally experienced. Traumas, like invisible waves, are transmitted from generation to generation. This is especially true for racialized and LGBTQIA+ people, whose lives are often marked by the legacy of profound suffering associated with systems of oppression.
What is transgenerational trauma?
Transgenerational trauma is an emotional and psychological burden that is not limited to events experienced directly by a person. It often stems from the traumatic experiences of our ancestors, which leave indelible traces in the family line. This can range from major historical dramas such as slavery or colonization for people of color, to the persecution of LGBTQIA+ people, passed on through generations.
Epigenetics: when trauma is embedded in our genes.
The fascinating thing is that this process is more than just emotional. Recent discoveries in epigenetics show that these traumas are not only transmitted through stories or learned behaviors, but that they can also change our biology. Indeed, epigenetics explores how the expression of our genes can be changed by environmental factors, including traumatic events, and these changes can then be passed on to subsequent generations.
Studies on populations that have experienced massive collective traumas, such as the descendants of survivors of the Holocaust or the transatlantic slave trade, have shown that epigenetic alterations can affect how these individuals respond to stress or anxiety. In other words, even if we have not experienced traumatic events directly, our bodies bear the marks of these experiences through changes in genetic expression. This phenomenon could explain why some people are more likely to develop hypervigilant responses or anxiety-related disorders.
Why are racialized and LGBTQIA+ people particularly affected?
Marginalized groups, whether racialized or LGBTQIA+, are often exposed to multiple forms of oppression throughout their history. Repeated violence, discrimination, and stigma create an environment conducive to the transmission of these wounds from one generation to the next. For example, numerous studies have shown that descendants of populations that have experienced episodes of great suffering, such as slavery or racial persecution, are more vulnerable to stress, anxiety, and depression.
A moving testimony shared by Kelly Vaz Semedo, director of the documentary currently being created “Dear Ancestors”, sheds light on this issue. At an event on the mental health of Afro-descendants organized by Nos é Kriola, she spoke about the fact that African or Afro-descended parents sometimes have difficulty recognizing the achievements of their children. This may stem from fear rooted in colonial history, where putting forward a child's qualities could become dangerous. Indeed, recognizing the successes of a child could attract the attention of the colonist, who did not hesitate to take control of the child in question. Thus, talents and great qualities were seen as sources of danger. This dynamic can create emotional distance, where parents' pride is inhibited by fear that is deeply rooted in historical experience.
How can Gestalt help free yourself from these wounds?
Gestalt therapy is a therapeutic approach that invites you to explore what is happening in the present moment. It allows us to become aware of our physical, emotional, and mental feelings, to better understand how we react to the world. In Gestalt, the focus is on the here and now, which is essential for bringing to light patterns inherited from the past.
Working with transgenerational trauma in Gestalt often involves exploring the impact of these traumas on our current relationships, in how we are in the world, and in how we perceive safety. It is a process of reconnecting with ourselves, but also with our heritage, in order to better understand the patterns that limit us. It is by becoming aware of these repetitions that we can begin to heal, to deconstruct these dysfunctional protections, and to write our own story.
Research shows that the impact of intergenerational trauma can be softened when we have the opportunity to make sense of these experiences, to put them into a larger context. In Gestalt, it is often about re-establishing the connection to one's roots, family and cultural history, while at the same time identifying one's own path to healing.
The reappropriation of its roots in order to move forward.
When we are cut off from our roots, whether family, cultural, or community, transgenerational trauma can intensify. For people of color, this disconnection can be exacerbated by centuries of colonization or forced assimilation. For LGBTQIA+ people, family or social rejection can reinforce a sense of breakup, creating profound emotional isolation. Restoring that connection to one's origins, whether through inner work or a return to one's cultures and communities, is an integral part of healing.
Research has shown that people who are reconnected to their cultural heritage and who have the tools to face discrimination are more resilient in the face of transgenerational trauma. It is this anchoring, combined with therapeutic work such as Gestalt, that makes it possible to alleviate this invisible burden, while honoring the history from which we come.
Healing is possible.
While these transgenerational wounds may seem overwhelming, they can be healed. Gestalt offers a space where we can not only explore what has been transmitted to us, but also redefine our relationship to these legacies. This process is not only about individual healing, it also involves past and future generations. By reclaiming our history, we are not only healing our personal wounds, we are also freeing our descendants from this burden.
If this article speaks to you, if you recognize yourself in these experiences, or if you feel a need to explore these aspects of your own life, I invite you to Contact me. Together, we can create a space where these traumas can be recognized, deconstructed, and ultimately transformed.