End Generational Pain and Take Steps to Rewrite Your Story
- Brainz Magazine
- Feb 19
- 4 min read
Byron Hopkins is a certified Growth and Transformation Coach and Psychotherapist specializing in emotional intelligence and personal development. A decorated Marine turned motivational speaker, Byron uses his "Ascension Method" to help individuals Recognize, Reframe, and Release their emotional burdens to thrive.
We often hear the phrase "run your race," but what if the race you’re running isn’t yours at all? What if you’re carrying a baton filled with unspoken trauma, inherited struggles, and emotional burdens passed down through generations? Without realizing it, many of us find ourselves sprinting through life, weighed down by pain that isn’t even ours to begin with.
The trauma relay race we never signed up for
Imagine standing at the starting line of a race you never agreed to run. The baton is passed to you, except this isn't just any baton. It carries unspoken pain, childhood wounds, and the weight of past generations. We clutch onto this trauma baton without realizing it, unknowingly preparing to pass it forward. But what if you didn't have to run this race at all?
Generational trauma, often referred to as intergenerational trauma, is the silent force shaping behaviors, fears, and even brain chemistry. Science confirms that trauma can be biologically inherited, altering our stress responses and emotional regulation. However, the cycle is not unbreakable. With awareness, healing, and intentional change, we can choose to break the cycle rather than perpetuate it.
The science behind generational trauma
Trauma isn't just a psychological burden; it's a physiological inheritance. Neuroscientists have found that trauma changes brain function, particularly in the amygdala (responsible for fear responses), the hippocampus (memory processing), and the prefrontal cortex (decision-making and emotional regulation).
Epigenetics and trauma: Studies show that traumatic experiences can alter DNA expression. Research from Dr. Rachel Yehuda at Mount Sinai revealed that children of Holocaust survivors had altered cortisol levels, making them more susceptible to stress disorders.
Neuroscience of inherited stress: A study published in Nature Neuroscience found that trauma-related stress markers can be passed down through sperm, affecting offspring even if they never directly experience trauma.
Psychological patterns: Research from the American Psychological Association (APA) confirms that trauma-related behaviors, including emotional suppression, hypervigilance, and self-sabotage, are unconsciously learned and repeated across generations.
The unburdened journey in action
In my work with The Unburdened Journey, a program designed to help individuals recognize and heal from generational trauma, I've encountered countless people unknowingly carrying their family's trauma. Here is a powerful example:
Meet Jasmine
Raised by a mother who had endured deep abandonment wounds, Jasmine learned early on that love meant proving her worth. She became a perfectionist, fearing that she wouldn't be enough if she didn't excel. Through The Unburdened Journey, she learned to recognize the inherited trauma, reframe her self-worth, and release the belief that love is conditional. She became the first in her lineage to embrace self-love without external validation.
This pattern is more common than we realize. Whether it's financial trauma, such as the fear of poverty or the belief that money is scarce, relationship dysfunction, like patterns of abuse or unhealthy communication, or suppressed emotions, such as the inability to express feelings or the fear of vulnerability, many of us are carrying struggles that weren't even ours, to begin with.
How to break the trauma cycle
The good news? We are not doomed to repeat the patterns of the past. Breaking the trauma cycle requires conscious action, self-awareness, and emotional intelligence. Here's how:
Recognize the pattern: Ask yourself, What beliefs, fears, or struggles do I carry that don't genuinely belong to me? Journaling and self-reflection can uncover hidden generational scripts.
Understand your triggers: Recognizing when you react in a way that mirrors past trauma is the first step toward reclaiming control.
Reframe the narrative: Question the limiting beliefs passed down to you. Is it true that money is always scarce? That relationships are supposed to be painful? Challenge and rewrite these inherited stories.
Practice somatic healing: Since trauma is stored in the body, physical practices such as breathwork and movement-based healing (yoga, dance, and martial arts) help release stored trauma.
Seek support and break the silence: Healing is not meant to be done in isolation. Engage in therapy, coaching, or group support to process and let go of intergenerational pain.
Release the baton: You don't have to run the race. Give yourself permission to step off the track and define your path. Healing yourself is healing your lineage.
Choosing to walk a different path
The trauma baton may have been handed to you, but you have the power to put it down. The science is precise; our brains, genes, and behaviors are all shaped by the past. But equally powerful is the ability to rewire, unlearn, and transform.
Your healing doesn't just free you; it frees every generation that comes after you. The question is: Will you continue the race, or will you be the one to break the cycle?
Next steps
Subscribe to the Growth Seekers Newsletter here to get exclusive insights, healing tools, and strategies to navigate generational healing.
I'm proud of you. – Byron
Read more from Byron Hopkins
Byron Hopkins, Growth + Transformation Coach
Byron Hopkins is an Emotional Intelligence Practitioner, Growth Coach, and Psychotherapist dedicated to helping individuals unlock their full potential. A Marine Corps veteran, his unique approach draws on personal resilience, focusing on overcoming limiting beliefs through his "Ascension Method." He founded the Growth Seekers Academy and is a certified NLP and EQ practitioner. Byron's mission is to empower individuals to release emotional burdens, build authentic confidence, and align their actions with their core values for lasting success.
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