INTERGENERATIONAL TRAUMA THERAPY · BURNABY & BC ONLINE · UPDATED AUGUST 2026
It did not start with you.
Evidence-based Approaches| Inclusive Care | Holistic Integration
Intergenerational Trauma
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Therapy
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Healing
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Through
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Connection
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Intergenerational Trauma 〰️ Therapy 〰️ Healing 〰️ Through 〰️ Connection 〰️
UNDERSTANDING
What is Intergenerational Trauma?
Intergenerational trauma is the way pain, fear, and survival patterns are passed down from one generation to the next.
You may not have lived through what they survived.
And still, you carry it.
In the pressure you feel.
In the emotions that were never spoken.
In the roles you took on.
In a body that learned to stay on guard.
Note From Rachel
As someone who has navigated my own lived experience alongside my clinical training, I hold a deep appreciation for how complex and human these patterns are, and how much courage it takes to begin understanding them.
Healing means
Understanding what was handed to you
Making sense of how it has shaped your life
Choosing what you want to carry forward
If this resonates with you, I invite you to book a free consultation call to learn more about the therapy process, and explore whether this feels like a supportive next step for you.
BEGIN THE WORK TOGETHER
How therapy can help you break the cycle
DOES THIS SOUND FAMILIAR?
You may recognize some of these.
You didn't choose it. But you feel it.
✓ Anxious even when nothing is wrong
✓ Guilty for resting, for wanting more, for saying no
✓ Angry at your family, then immediately guilty for feeling it
✓ Exhausted from proving yourself in ways that never feel like enough
✓ Responsible for holding everything together for everyone else
✓ Numb, overwhelmed, or unsure of your feelings
✓ Disconnected from what you need, or not sure you're allowed to have needs at all
Therapy Shaped Around You
Shaping the work around your experiences and a pace that feels right.
Compassionate & Evidence-Based Approach
Our approach to therapy is with care, curiosity, and respect for the complexity of your experience.
We’ll draw on multiple evidence-based approaches and tailor them to your needs and experiences.
Prioritizing Safety, Trust, and Connection
Therapy begins with creating a space where you feel safe, understood, and supported.
Your needs, experiences, and pace guide our work. We’ll focus on helping you feel more grounded, connected, and empowered through your healing journey.
Honouring Your
Lived Experience
Our culturally responsive and trauma-informed approach holds the broader context of your life.
This includes family expectations, cultural identity, intergenerational experiences, and social pressures that may shape how you grow.
Frequently Asked Questions About Intergenerational Trauma Therapy
What is intergenerational trauma therapy?
Yes. Intergenerational trauma is widely recognized in trauma and attachment research. Trauma can be passed down through family roles, learned coping strategies, and nervous system responses. Epigenetic research also suggests that severe or chronic stress may influence how genes are expressed across generations. Trauma does not change your DNA, but it can shape stress responses, emotional regulation, and relationship patterns
Is intergenerational trauma real, or scientifically supported?
Yes. It's well recognized in trauma research. Trauma is transmitted through learned behaviours, family roles, attachment patterns, and the nervous system, and studies in epigenetics suggest that severe stress can influence how genes are expressed across generations. Trauma doesn't change your DNA, but it can shape how your body and relationships respond.
What does intergenerational trauma look like in adults?
In adulthood, intergenerational trauma may show up as chronic anxiety, emotional shutdown, difficulty trusting others, fear of conflict, people pleasing, or feeling responsible for others’ emotions. Many people also describe feeling “stuck” in patterns they cannot fully explain, even when their current life feels stable.
Can therapy help if my trauma is intergenerational?
Yes. Therapy can help you work with both emotional and nervous system patterns that developed over time. You do not need to identify a specific childhood event for this work to be effective. Treatment often focuses on present day experiences while gently making sense of how earlier family dynamics shaped them.
What approaches are used for intergenerational trauma therapy?
Intergenerational trauma therapy is trauma informed and individualized. It may include somatic therapy, attachment based therapy, Internal Family Systems (IFS),, and other evidence based approaches. The focus is on nervous system regulation, emotional processing, and building safer internal and relational patterns over time.
Do I need to talk about my family or confront them?
No. Therapy does not require confrontation or direct involvement of family members. Many clients choose to focus on their own experiences and patterns rather than family discussions. The work is about understanding, not blame.
How does culture or immigration affect intergenerational trauma?
Cultural identity, immigration, and diaspora experiences can deeply shape how trauma is carried through families. Expectations around responsibility, sacrifice, and emotional expression often vary across cultures. Therapy can hold these experiences with respect and care, without asking you to disconnect from your culture or identity.
Is online intergenerational trauma therapy available in British Columbia?
Yes. Online therapy is available across British Columbia, including Vancouver, Burnaby, Richmond, Surrey, Victoria, and surrounding areas. Sessions are secure and confidential, and can be done from a space that feels comfortable and private.
How do I know if intergenerational trauma therapy is right for me?
Therapy may be helpful if you notice long standing emotional or relational patterns that feel hard to change on your own. If you are unsure, a consultation can help you explore your concerns and see whether this approach feels like a good fit.