There are many of us who come from lineages that feel fragmented, or have had trouble finding a place of belonging in the families we come from. Maybe your languages have been lost, stolen or forgotten, your stories buried, or some wound found its way into the home and was never spoken of or healed. You may find yourself carrying a burden that you didn’t create but are still affected by, and wondering how to find peace within yourself and with the family you love up close or from a distance.
Generational trauma is becoming increasingly visible in this modern world. It has always existed but we didn’t have the language or awareness of it in the Western world until recently.
This new understanding of how pain and and healing get transmitted across generations has helped many people to understand that they are not alone in unraveling emotional and psychological wounds that have been inherited. Family lineage work is a highly personalized process that you can develop with your therapist on your healing journey.
Here are some ways you can begin:
- Acknowledgment: naming out loud and honoring that you and your family have been impacted by generational patterns of abuse and trauma.
- Community: Seeking supportive friends or relatives who are willing to speak authentically, affirm your experience and give you space to explore your feelings.
- Compassion: Practice gentleness with yourself as you notice the ways this has impacted your life and relationships.
- Support: Seek out a trusted therapist to help hold the experience with you and cultivate new ways of being in the world. As an Expressive Arts and Associate Marriage & Family Therapist, I collaborate with clients to find creative ways of tending to ancestral wounds and lineages. I’d love to work with you at Love Heal Grow Counseling-schedule an appointment today to begin your journey.
Hi, I’m Zena Carlota Allen, therapist for individuals and couples at Love Heal Grow Counseling.
You can experience more fulfillment in your life and relationships! I’m here to support you.
You can read more about me or schedule an appointment here: About Zena
