Generations shaped by trauma | Gael Gómez Plata | TEDxASUCQ
The speaker, Gail Gomes, claims that trauma can be passed down through generations, citing her own difficult childhood experiences and the trauma passed from her father and grandfather. She advises that breaking this cycle requires building strong support systems and focusing on creating positive change rather than reacting to the trauma received. The strongest evidence provided is the contrast between the discipline she received and the healing she achieved through positive experiences like academics, extracurriculars, and social support.
## Speakers & Context
- **Gail Gomes** — Presenter addressing the topic of generational trauma.
- Self-identification: "I am a generation shaped by trauma."
## Theses & Positions
- Trauma can be passed down through generations, influencing individuals' emotional stability and relationships.
- Individuals who experience trauma may become emotionally unstable, weak, or fragile, potentially hurting those they love.
- The goal is to break the cycle of trauma by consciously choosing to create change.
- Success is attributed not only to positive personal experiences but also to the influence of one's environment and the people affecting them.
## Concepts & Definitions
- **Generational trauma** — A traumatic, responsive event that can manifest through biological, environmental, psychological, and social means.
- **Intergenerational and transgenerational trauma** — Other terms used for the concept of passed-down trauma.
- **Environmental trauma** — A form of trauma suffered through emotional and physical traumatic events.
- **Warning signs** — Anxiety, losing interest in daily activities, feeling disconnected from oneself, from surroundings, and depression.
## Mechanisms & Processes
- **Trauma transmission:** Trauma can be passed down through family lines, exemplified by the speaker's parents and grandfather.
- **Healing mechanisms:**
- Seeking help from a mental health therapist to assist with thoughts and feelings and break bad habits.
- Building strong support systems, including family, friends, a support group, the pastor of one's church, and a professor.
- Engaging in positive life experiences (e.g., academics, extracurricular activities, social campaigns, theater).
## Timeline & Sequence
- **Early life experience:** Misbehaving, being disruptive in class.
- **Parental/Familial experience:** Speaker's parents experienced discipline, and her father and grandfather each experienced trauma passed from their respective parents.
- **Path to healing:** Early positive experiences (being one of the best in class, extracurriculars) helped the speaker begin to overcome the trauma.
- **Current goal:** To recommend others heal *before* passing the same trauma onto the next generation.
## Named Entities
- **Michelle Rosenthal** — Author of the quote cited by the speaker.
## Numbers & Data
- No specific quantitative data points were cited.
## Examples & Cases
- **Speaker's Personal History:**
- Experienced misbehaving, being hyperactive, and disruptive in class.
- Received discipline that involved yelling, hitting with available objects, and shaming.
- Observed trauma passing down: Speaker experienced it due to parents' reactions; father experienced it due to his father; grandfather experienced it due to his mother.
- Demonstrated positive life contributions: Was one of the best in class, participated in extracurricular activities, participated in social campaigns, and was part of a school basketball team and a musical theater.
- **The concept of change:** Contrast between the trauma endured and the healing achieved through the described positive environments.
## References Cited
- **Health.com** — Source cited for the definition of generational trauma.
- **Michelle Rosenthal** — Author of the quoted mantra: "Trauma creates change you don't choose. Healing is about creating change. You do choose."
## Trade-offs & Alternatives
- **Trauma Response vs. Healing:** The alternative to enduring and repeating trauma is proactively seeking support and engaging in positive environments.
- **Healing vs. Resolution:** The speaker clarifies that her positive experiences show she is *trying to overcome* trauma, but it does not imply she has fully resolved it.
## Conclusions & Recommendations
- The primary recommendation is for listeners to heal so that they do not pass the same trauma onto the next generation.
- The guiding principle is choosing to create change: *"Healing is about creating change. You do choose."*
## Implications & Consequences
- Unaddressed trauma leads to cycles of hurt, emotional instability, and can negatively affect family and friends.
- Positive environmental factors (support systems, healthy lifestyle) are crucial pathways for overcoming generational trauma.
## Verbatim Moments
- *"People around us say that we are a generation of crystal, that if something bad happens to us, we break, that we are often weak, that we complain about everything."*
- *"My story shows you how trauma can be passed down through generations."*
- *"I want to talk to you about how trauma can be passed down through generations, how it influences our lives and the people that surround us, and how we can try to overcome it, to break the cycle of trauma."*
- *"In my story, we can say environmental trauma because I suffered emotionally and physical traumatic events."*
- *"Anxiety, losing interest in the things that you do daily. Feeling disconnected not only from yourself, from but also from your surroundings and even depression are all warning signs."*
- *"Generation before generation."*
- *"Trauma creates change you don't choose. Healing is about creating change. You do choose."*
- *"I owe my success to them [my parents]."*