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Therapy for Intergenerational Trauma

New Moon Psychotherapy offers Therapy for Intergenerational Trauma in Downtown Toronto with online sessions available across Ontario.

What is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma is the emotional and psychological pain that is passed down through families, often without conscious awareness.

If you grew up in a home where survival took precedence over emotional connection, or where unspoken pain shaped the way love and safety were expressed, you may be carrying wounds that are not solely your own.

Inherited trauma can show up in many ways:

If this resonates with you, you are not alone. The patterns that were passed down do not have to define your future. Healing is possible.

How Does Intergenerational Trauma Occur?

Trauma that is not processed doesn’t simply disappear—it gets carried forward. Families who have endured significant hardship often pass down survival strategies that were necessary in the past but may no longer serve future generations.

Some of the most common causes of intergenerational trauma include:

War and Forced Displacement

War and forced displacement create trauma, fear, and instability. Survivors may struggle with chronic PTSD, chronic anxiety, and a persistent sense of insecurity which can result in overly restrictive/protective parenting.
Even if raised in more stable environments, their children may inherit fear and anxiety, hypervigilence, feeling unsafe, and needing to be prepared for the worst.

Poverty

Those who have lived in poverty may be stuck in a survival response, overwork themselves, and struggle with financial decisions, scarcity mindset, financial or material hoarding, or chronic stress.
This can shape the next generation’s beliefs about security, success, and self-worth. They may develop financial anxiety, guilt around spending, or believe that success is only possible through relentless effort, leading to burnout and stress.

Systemic Oppression and Racism

Experiencing discrimination creates fear, injustice, and hyper-vigilance. Many develop coping mechanisms like people-pleasing, emotional suppression, or overachievement to prove their worth.
Their children may internalize negative messages about belonging, experience anxiety and perfectionism, struggle with a sense of inadequecy or find it difficult to assert themselves in professional or social contexts.

Substance Use and Addiction

Addiction is often a response to unprocessed trauma and overwhelming stress. It can lead to emotional unavailability, volatility, or neglect.
Children of parents struggling with addiction may develop trust issues, an overwhelming sense of responsibility, emotional dysregulation, or repeat cycles of addiction. Others may become hyper-independent, fearing reliance on others, or seek constant validation in relationships.

Domestic Violence or Abuse

Cultural Suppression or Forced Assimilation

If ancestors were forced to abandon their language or traditions, they may have struggled with a loss of cultural identity and belonging. They may be hesitant to pass down traditions out of fear of discrimination, or they may interanalize shame about their identity/background.
Their children may feel disconnected from their heritage and struggle to find a sense of belonging and identity.

You are the cycle breaker.

It runs in the family until it runs into you. You are the one who chooses healing over silence, growth over comfort, and freedom over fear.

Therapy for Intergenerational Trauma

How Therapy Can Help

Healing intergenerational trauma does not mean forgetting or rejecting your past—it means understanding its impact and reclaiming your ability to live with greater freedom and self-compassion. In therapy, we work together to:

Identify and break harmful patterns that no longer serve you
Process inherited pain in a safe, supportive space
Develop emotional regulation skills and healthier coping mechanisms
Foster self-compassion and release feelings of shame or guilt
Strengthen boundaries and cultivate meaningful, fulfilling relationships

This work is about more than just talking—it’s about deep, embodied healing that creates lasting change.

What to Expect from Therapy for Intergenerational Trauma

Healing from intergenerational trauma is a journey of understanding, connection, and transformation. At New Moon Psychotherapy, we offer a compassionate, expert-led approach to help you break free from patterns that have been passed down through generations.

In therapy, you can expect to:

We’ll explore how trauma has shaped your emotions, relationships, and sense of self. By identifying patterns rooted in family history, we can begin to rewrite them.

Many people carry intergenerational trauma in their bodies without realizing it. Therapy can help you develop a sense of safety, regulate emotions, and release stored tension.

Trauma shapes our sense of worth, safety, and relationships. Therapy can help you untangle these beliefs, replacing them with ones that foster growth and self-compassion.

Trauma affects how we connect with others. Therapy can help you improve communication, set boundaries, and deepen relationships.

Therapy for Intergenerational Trauma | Downtown Toronto

Therapeutic Approaches We May Use

Your healing journey is unique, and we tailor therapy to your specific needs.

Some of the approaches we may incorporate include:

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR helps process and reduce the emotional charge of distressing memories.

Somatic and Sensorimotor Therapy

Somatic and Sensorimotor Therapy addresses how trauma is held in the body, promoting healing through movement, breathwork, and awareness.

Mindfulness-Based Approaches

Mindfulness-Based Therapy supports emotional regulation and resilience by strengthening present-moment awareness.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

CBT helps identify and shift unhelpful thought patterns that may be reinforcing trauma responses.

Compassion-Based Therapy

Compassion-Focused Therapy encourages self-compassion, reducing shame and fostering a sense of inner safety.

Narrative Therapy

Narrative Therapy helps reframe personal stories, creating new meaning and agency in your healing journey.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

Internal Family Systems (IFS) Therapy supports deep self-exploration by working with different parts of the self to resolve internal conflicts.

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

ACT focuses on building psychological flexibility by helping you accept difficult emotions, align with your values, and take meaningful action toward healing.

Family and Couples Therapy

If intergenerational trauma is impacting relationships, involving loved ones in therapy can provide deeper understanding, connection, and healing.