Sonia Ross launched her Full Circle Therapy Service (FCTS) in May of 2017, on her birthday. She is in her 40s and lives with her family in Maryland. She is the author of Master Your Depression: A Black Woman’s Guide to Emotional Wellness. 

In the interview below Ross shares her expertise on Intergenerational Trauma, the signs and symptoms, recovery options, and advice to young people experiencing this struggle.

This interview was over email and edited for length and clarity.

To young people who may not know what Intergenerational Trauma is, can you give them a clear definition?

Intergenerational trauma is the passing on of dysfunctional habits of behavior from one family member to the other for example from grandparents, to parents, to children. Culturally and collectively many responses to trauma were developed and became habits of behaviors within individuals, families, and communities.  

Is Intergenerational Trauma common in young people or at any age?

Intergenerational trauma affects everyone regardless of age. Growing up as Black folks in an oppressive society we have all developed generational coping mechanisms that are still alive and active in us to this day. Some of these things are considered part of our culture as Black folk but are really responses developed in the face of systematic oppression and trauma.  

Can you give an example of a person experiencing Intergenerational Trauma?

Many Black folks have adapted to living with depression and anxiety as a response to collective and individual trauma. In response to this many folks have developed maladaptive coping mechanisms such as drugs, alcohol, sex, anger, rage, etc. So in family relationships, this can often show up as parents being agitated and short-tempered with their children. Yelling, screaming, violence towards the other family members in certain ways. The other members of the family will adapt to the dysfunctional behaviors in some ways to cope with it. They will take these coping strategies out into the world of school, work, relationships, etc, and this will impact and affect how they engage with the world and those around them.  

Is Intergenerational Trauma often recognized or even recognized by the person experiencing it? 

No, it is not. Intergenerational trauma is a macro term for symptoms that are experienced on the micro or individual level. Most folks are not aware that they are dealing or experiencing symptoms in response to emotional pain, trauma, and collective oppression. As a community, we do not have this knowledge and have been taught to adapt and keep silent about our trauma and oppression.  

How could someone recognize Intergenerational Trauma? What are the signs and symptoms?

If there are repeated signs of certain mental and emotional health issues showing up in families that is Intergenerational Trauma. For example, several people in the family having symptoms of depression or anxiety. Family members ignoring the symptoms of depression or anxiety and developing other coping mechanisms to deal with it. Such as alcohol or drug abuse, having a controlling nature in dealing with anxiety or perfectionism. The inability to slow down or stop working because they fear being overwhelmed by their emotions or feelings.  

What are some treatment options that a person could do besides going to therapy? or is going to therapy the only solution? How can someone heal?

No therapy is not the only solution. At the root of all healing is growing in your self-awareness and ability to assess your thoughts, feelings, and internal motivation. There are several different techniques that people can use such as connecting with ancestral ways to address pain and trauma, healing circles, culturally affirmative support groups, etc. People have to find a way that makes sense for them. Everyone’s experience is different and unique.  

Now, can you tell me more about Full Circle Therapy services? and why you decided to create it?

I created Full Circle Therapy Services (FCTS) as a way to provide individual therapy services to adults in my local community. As I grew and evolved both professionally and personally, I saw that there was a need for emotional health support that centered around the needs of Black women and spoke to their challenges of living in an anti-black and oppressive society. Black women needed therapy services that put their life experiences in the proper societal and cultural context that brought in the power dynamics created by racism and oppression and how this affected their individual experiences.    
 

What does Full Circle Therapy offer to help with Intergenerational Trauma?

I originally created FCTS as a trauma therapist. As my work has evolved, I have taken several complex trainings to treat trauma that Black people would not ordinarily have access to. I have been trained in Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). Both are highly effective in reprocessing traumatic memories that the client is aware of consciously and unconsciously. Black people hold a lot of unprocessed trauma in their bodies and both work well and help Black folk to connect and rebuild their relationships with their bodies which are instrumental to the healing process. To live in an oppressive society our connection to our body has to be interrupted and disrupted. Both of these therapy models re-establish that connection.   

 
What would you say to someone who is currently suffering from Intergenerational trauma? and doesn’t know what to do?

If anyone is suffering from any emotional and mental health symptoms I would encourage them to seek treatment whether that is therapy or some other modality that is aligned with their life right now. Therapy can be a good gateway but there are other processes as well that can support healing; yoga, journaling, breathwork, meditation, silence, movement, healing circles, group work, etc. 

Follow Ross on Instagram at @FullCircleTherapyServices