Personally, I think one of the most important discoveries in the study of trauma is the recognition that trauma has the ability to be passed from generation to generation through our genetic code.

In the most basic terms it means that if one of our parents has a fear of water because of a traumatic instance in their life it is very likely we will have the same fear because it is in our DNA.

The good news is, just because it is in our DNA doesn't mean we are stuck with it forever. It just requires a different approach for the transformation because we don't have a memory to tap on.

In my first interview with Mark we talked about how trauma can be passed down through our epigenetics. This time we talk about how to identify if something is a generational trauma or an attachment trauma (something that has happened to us) through recognizing what he calls "trauma language". The language we use to describe our trauma will help us to tell which type it is.

Take the time to dive into this one. I would recommend listening to it twice.

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Guest: Mark Wolynn

Contact: web @ MarkWolynn.com; facebook @ Mark Wolynn

About: Mark Wolynn, director of The Family Constellation Institute in San Francisco, is a leading expert in the field of inherited family trauma. A sought-after lecturer, he has taught at the University of Pittsburgh, the Western Psychiatric Institute, Kripalu, The Omega Institute, The New York Open Center, and The California Institute of Integral Studies. Mark specializes in working with depression, anxiety, obsessive thoughts, fears, panic disorders, self-injury, chronic pain and persistent symptoms and conditions. His book IT DIDN'T START WITH YOU: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle (Viking/Penguin) is the winner of the 2016 Nautilus Book Award in psychology. His articles have appeared in Psychology Today, Mind Body Green, MariaShriver.com, Elephant Journal, and Psych Central.