Intergenerational Trauma: The Ghosts of Times Past (6 page)

As one can note, intergenerational trauma affects hundreds of people and entire cultures. Over the course of history, we hope that humanity learns lessons from past historical events. The occurrences of trauma in the past do not need to be forgotten. The lessons should live on to prevent the reoccurrence of atrocities and the mistreatment of individuals regardless of who they are or from what culture they come. The cultures that we come from should not be forsaken and thrown away through means of assimilation or genocide. Individuals should know who they are and understand their culture and heritage. The deeds and history of ourselves as a human race should have many and produce changes in society as a whole throughout time. Intergenerational trauma has a lot to do with the cultures of people and who they are. We should be able to respect and acknowledge the events, both great and horrific, that our ancestors have gone through, accomplished, and survived. It is important to remember that treating intergenerational trauma is not erasing the culture of an individual or their ties to the past. When viewing the treatment of intergenerational trauma, one should consider the views of the elder generations that had experienced the trauma.

How would generations that experienced trauma in the past and had to live with the PTSD that developed as a result of their traumatic experiences phrase the need for treatment? When working with trauma survivors, I have heard one phrase come up countless times, “I would never want anyone to go through what I went through.” No reasonable individual would want their children to experience that kind of trauma. In a similar manner, the treatment of intergenerational trauma is not erasing the culture and heritage of an individual. The culture and heritage should stay intact and be maintained as it provides the individuals with some degree of resiliency. The effects of the trauma is what should be focused on and treated. Improving the quality of life for survivors is the focus of treatment. It is not to erase the past.