Healing What We Inherit: Breaking the Cycle of Generational and Racial Trauma
Let’s keep it real—some of the pain we carry didn’t start with us. It’s been passed down, generation after generation, like an heirloom we never asked for. The struggles, the silence, the survival instincts—they didn’t just appear out of nowhere.
For so many of us, generational and racial trauma is part of our story. It’s in the way we’ve been taught to “stay strong,” the unspoken fears we carry, and the weight of trying to thrive in a world that hasn’t always been kind to us. But here’s what I need you to know: just because the pain is inherited doesn’t mean the healing can’t be, too. You have the power to break the cycle and rewrite the story—for you and for those who come after you.
What Is Generational and Racial Trauma?
It’s the weight that lingers from the struggles our families and ancestors endured. Generational trauma shows up in the lessons passed down, sometimes as unspoken rules: Don’t trust too easily. Always stay ready. Keep your head down and keep moving.
Racial trauma? That’s the hurt caused by centuries of racism and oppression—carried in our history and felt in our everyday lives. It’s why we often feel the need to work twice as hard, stay on guard, or shrink ourselves to feel safe.
And let’s be real: this pain can show up in ways we don’t always recognize—like perfectionism, people-pleasing, or even feeling like we’re never enough.
Recognizing the Patterns
If you’ve ever caught yourself reacting in a way that feels bigger than the moment—like snapping at someone, shutting down, or carrying guilt that’s hard to explain—you might be dealing with these inherited wounds. They can look like:
Always being “on” or hypervigilant, just in case.
Struggling with self-worth or feeling like you have to prove yourself constantly.
Suppressing emotions to avoid looking “weak.”
Passing down survival habits that no longer serve you.
But here’s the good news: just like the pain, healing can be passed down, too.
Breaking the Cycle
Healing generational and racial trauma isn’t about pretending the hurt never happened. It’s about recognizing it, honoring it, and deciding that it stops here. Here’s where to start:
Call It Out: Name it. Say it out loud. This isn’t mine, and I don’t have to carry it anymore. Talk to family members, journal about it, or simply sit with the truth of what you’ve inherited.
Feel the Feelings: The only way out is through. Let yourself grieve, rage, or cry for what was lost or taken. Your emotions are valid.
Create New Traditions: Maybe your family was all about survival, not celebration. That’s okay—you get to start new traditions rooted in joy, rest, and connection.
Seek Support: Healing doesn’t happen in isolation. Lean on your people. That could mean family, friends, a therapist, or a community that gets it.
Choose Joy: Joy is resistance. Rest is rebellion. Dance, laugh, rest, and remind yourself that you are more than your pain.
You Are Your Ancestors’ Wildest Dreams
Listen, you’re here because someone before you fought to survive. They did what they could with what they had, and now you’re here to take it further. You are the chain-breaker, the cycle-ender, the light-bringer.
Healing this stuff isn’t easy, but it’s worth it. And every step you take toward healing creates a legacy of love, strength, and freedom for the next generation.
Reflection Prompt:
What’s one thing you’ve inherited—whether it’s a belief, habit, or mindset—that you’re ready to let go of, and what’s one thing you want to pass down instead?
Sis, it’s your time to heal and shine. Break those chains, and build the legacy you deserve.
Rooting for your freedom,
Dr. Brooklyn Chick 🌱✨
