Healing the Wounds We Inherit: Understanding Intergenerational Trauma in Native American Communities

For generations, Native American communities have carried an invisible weight—not always spoken about but deeply felt. This legacy, known as intergenerational trauma—sometimes called historical or generational trauma—refers to psychological and emotional harm passed down from one generation to the next, rooted in oppression such as forced relocation, boarding schools, and cultural loss.

Native American boarding schools were designed to erase children’s languages, culture, and identity—a reality that has left deep, generational scars. Survivors recount forced assimilation, abuse, and long-term consequences, including mental health struggles and substance misuse (apnews.com).

Today, American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities continue to face disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges and substance-related harms (ihs.gov): 

• Behavioral health issues such as substance use disorders, suicide, and serious psychological distress occur at significantly higher rates among AI/AN people compared to the general U.S. population.

• Suicide risk is markedly elevated: AI/AN individuals experience approximately 1.5 times the suicide rate of non-Hispanic whites, with youth particularly at risk.

• Substance abuse: Around 10% of Native Americans have a substance use disorder, with illicit drug use and binge drinking rates higher than all other ethnic groups.

• Alcohol-related deaths account for about 11.7% of all Native American mortality—double the rate for the overall U.S. population.

Resilience & Healing: Culturally Responsive Approaches

Despite these challenges, there is strength and cultural resilience within Native communities:

• Traditional healing practices—such as smudging, sweat lodges, talking circles, storytelling, ceremony, and land-based connection—play a vital role in cultural restoration and healing.

• Culturally informed therapy—trauma-informed care, narrative approaches, somatic therapies, and narrative reclamation—can be particularly effective when delivered in a context of cultural understanding.

• Community-based healing—initiatives led by Indigenous people themselves, such as youth mentoring, elder engagement, and grassroots support networks, serve as powerful antidotes to isolation and systemic trauma.

Practical Strategies for Healing From Intergenerational Trauma

Healing is not a linear journey—it’s a process of reclaiming identity, restoring balance, and reconnecting with community. For Native clients, strategies that blend cultural traditions with evidence-based care can be particularly powerful:

1. Reclaim and Practice Cultural Traditions

• Participate in ceremonies such as sweat lodges, talking circles, drumming, and smudging.

• Learn and speak your tribal language to deepen cultural pride and connection.

• Spend time on ancestral lands, gather traditional foods, and engage in land stewardship.

• Research shows that cultural connectedness is a protective factor against depression, substance use, and suicide among Indigenous populations (Chandler & Lalonde, 1998).

2. Incorporate Storytelling and Oral Histories

• Share personal and family stories with elders or youth to reclaim narratives that colonization tried to erase.

• Use storytelling as a way to process grief and celebrate resilience.

3. Seek Culturally Responsive Therapy

• Work with therapists who understand historical trauma and Indigenous perspectives.

• Explore approaches like trauma-informed care, Brainspotting, EMDR, narrative therapy, or somatic experiencing.

4. Build Community Connections

• Engage with Native-led community programs, cultural events, or support groups.

• Surround yourself with others who honor and share your heritage.

5. Practice Mind-Body-Spirit Wellness

• Integrate traditional medicine and plant-based healing with mindfulness, breathing practices, or gentle movement.

• Recognize that healing addresses mind, body, spirit, and relationships.

6. Advocate and Educate

• Participate in advocacy for cultural preservation and systemic change.

• Teach younger generations about history, resilience, and strength.

How Thrive Unburdened Supports This Work

At Thrive Unburdened, we believe healing happens when cultural identity is honored alongside personal growth. We offer trauma-informed, compassionate care for Native and Indigenous clients, incorporating clients’ traditions, values, and community ties into the therapeutic process.

For Native clients in Alaska, we provide virtual therapy sessions with Olivia Main, who understands the importance of cultural sensitivity and approaches care with deep respect for Indigenous traditions and histories. Olivia offers a safe, supportive space for processing trauma, building resilience, and reclaiming your story.

Conclusion

Intergenerational trauma has wounded Native communities, but it has not broken them. Through cultural reclamation, collective healing, and compassionate, culturally attuned therapy, Native people are not only surviving—they are leading powerful movements of resilience and renewal. Thrive Unburdened is here to walk alongside that journey, with respect, humility, and solidarity.