Generational trauma in immigrant families originates from the collective experiences of displacement, loss, and adaptation to a new society. These experiences, often marked by profound stress and adversity, do not merely affect the individual who directly experiences them; they ripple through families, affecting children and grandchildren in a... See more

One of the most devastating effects of trauma is that people’s biology changes into a biology of threat; this is expressed on multiple levels, in stress hormones, immunology and what the brain selects to pay attention to. The intrinsic reward system changes, as do “attractors”—what turns you on or leaves you cold. As a consequence, traumatized... See more

These experiences leave traces on people’s biology and identity and have devastating social consequences–medical illnesses, problems with school and work performance, drug addiction and a variety of psychiatric illness. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention calculate that childhood trauma is our single largest public health... See more