Intergenerational and Family Influences

As you know, I commend anyone that has the courage to come to therapy and allow a mirror into their thoughts, actions and behaviours.   Each of you do this every time you show up and entrust me to hold that space with you.
 
I am currently reading, It Didn’t Start With You- How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How To End The Cycle by Mark Wolmyn.  We are all shaped by our families; the way we love, the way we think about money, how we hold our stressors. 
 
The level of influence can be significant, especially when our families have had their own challenges and/or traumas.  We may be aware of our family’s history or it may not have been spoken of, or considered.   Even walking through your family genogram in therapy (like a family tree), can bring so many ahha moments.  I call it putting in the pieces of the jigsaw to complete your own picture.  If we haven’t done this activity and you would like to, let me know. 
 
For those who are well aware of their family influences, but current and historical, it is now your choice and challenge to change what you no longer want or need and find a new pathway.    Neuro-reprogramming has been a hot topic for a number of years now with the emergence of neurological evidence to show that rewiring of brain pathways are possible, even into your 80s.  So yes you can do it differently…..