Trauma affects families of all ethnicities, ages, and socioeconomic backgrounds, and it can be the result of a number of factors: crimes against humanity; terrorism; natural disasters; poverty; and more. While scientists have studied its impact on victims’ mental and physical health, research on the impact and scope of multigenerational trauma is just beginning to receive more attention. Scientists point to epigenetic changes in the DNA of families affected by trauma, suggesting that stress in the older generation translates into an adaptation adopted by the next generation.
So what does this mean for the development of trauma-informed care? And how can we help families affected by trauma in our community, especially those living in poverty? This is the subject of an upcoming talk at Hillside Family of Agencies.* Our guests preview that talk and discuss the broad effects of multigenerational trauma.
- Dr. Yael Danieli, clinical psychologist, victimologist, traumatologist, and co-founder and director of the Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children
- Ruth Turner, executive director of student support services for the Rochester City School District
- Monica Devine-Haley, clinician at Hillside Children’s Center
- Megan Bell, executive director of the Wilson Foundation
*Note: The talk is now sold out.
