This blog post is part of an ongoing series on transgenerational trauma – a phenomenon in which unresolved trauma is unconsciously passed down from one generation to the next. While the first part of the series explored the question “What is trauma?”, this post focuses on a particularly deep-rooted form of traumatic imprinting: developmental trauma and the closely related attachment trauma.

This article is part of a series on transgenerational trauma – a phenomenon where unresolved trauma is unconsciously passed down from one generation to the next. To understand how trauma can be inherited, it’s essential to first explore what trauma actually is, how it arises, and how it affects the brain and body on a physiological level.

This first post provides a detailed explanation of the biological and neurological mechanisms of trauma, the difference between fight, flight, and freeze responses, and the role of neurotransmitters in creating long-lasting trauma symptoms. It also outlines common psychological and physical symptoms and introduces the concept of complex PTSD and repetition compulsion.