Healing Trauma Across Generations (with Peter A. Levine, PhD, Dr. Diane Poole Heller, and Efu Nyaki, SEP)

As children, we all receive messages about the world that shape the way we move through life. Our parents, grandparents, extended family, and the community we belong to influence us from the moment we’re born—and perhaps even before.

For many people, these inherited messages are positive, teaching us that the world is generally safe and welcoming. 

But for others, the lessons aren’t so comforting. Some of us unknowingly carry a sense that relationships cause pain, that life is harsh––or that we can’t trust others. These feelings often run deep, shaping our lives in ways we might not even notice.

As healing professionals, we often encounter clients whose symptoms are hard to pinpoint or address. They might even seem ‘stuck’ or easily re-traumatized, clearly affected by something… yet the underlying cause of their suffering remains elusive.

What we’re seeing could be the effects of intergenerational trauma—where the pain experienced by previous generations gets passed down to their descendants.

Intergenerational trauma can be hard to recognize, even for experienced practitioners. Without specific training and the right interventions, it’s easy to miss. 

In this recorded Expert Spotlight training, three leading experts introduce complementary approaches to understanding and healing transgenerational trauma… 

• During this workshop training, Dr. Peter Levine will define transgenerational trauma and explain how it is passed from one generation to the next. He’ll share how generational trauma is stored in the body—and why somatic practices calm the nervous system, improve emotional regulation, and restore feelings of safety.
• Dr. Diane Poole Heller will explore how generational trauma manifests in therapy sessions and is connected to patterns of attachment wounding. She’ll also share a video demo highlighting practical techniques for identifying and working with inherited trauma patterns in therapy. You’ll learn how to spot and address attachment challenges that can help break the cycle of suffering.

Efu Nyaki will introduce Family Constellation work and the concept of accessing our ancestors as a healing resource and how it can be applied to resolve inherited family patterns. She’ll also lead a grounding exercise at the beginning of the session.