Generational Trauma and Mental Health: Healing Across Cultures and Communities

Trauma doesn’t end with the people who experience it. It can echo across generations, shaping families, communities, and even entire cultures.

In this powerful conversation, Mark Powless, a member of the Oneida Nation, shares his story of growing up on a reservation and learning how historical trauma — from boarding schools to cultural erasure — continues to affect Native communities today.

We explore how generational trauma impacts mental health, the ways it can manifest as depression, anger, and addiction, and most importantly, how healing practices like sweat lodges, cultural traditions, and open conversations can begin to break the cycle.

This is a deeply human story of pain, resilience, and hope — and a reminder that healing is possible when we acknowledge the past and care for the present.

Resources Mark suggests: 

Oneida Nation website: https://oneida-nsn.gov/

Sky Woman Lives in Me by Roberta Capasso: https://www.amazon.com/Sky-Woman-Lives-Roberta-Capasso/dp/1483443469

Boarding School Seasons: American Indian Families, 1900-1940 by Brenda Child: https://www.amazon.com/Boarding-School-Seasons-American-1900-1940-dp-0803214804/dp/0803214804/ref=mt_other?_encoding=UTF8&me=&qid=

Healing the Sound Wound by Eduardo Duran: https://www.amazon.com/Healing-Soul-Wound-Trauma-Informed-Multicultural/dp/0807761397/

Primary Topics Covered:

• What intergenerational trauma is and how it’s passed down
• The impact of historical traumas such as boarding schools
• How normalized pain and abuse affect Native communities today
• The connection between generational trauma and depression
• Personal reflections on family, grief, and healing
• The role of cultural identity in resilience and recovery
• Indigenous healing practices and the importance of storytelling
• Hope for future generations through awareness and compassion

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction to the episode and context of trauma
 01:01 – How trauma changes our sense of safety and identity
 01:48 – Understanding intergenerational trauma in Native communities
 03:08 – Mark Powless shares his experiences growing up on the reservation
 03:59 – Recognizing historical events behind today’s struggles
 05:06 – The trauma of boarding schools and cultural erasure
 06:11 – Disconnection from family and community
 06:44 – Silence, shame, and unspoken pain among elders
 07:39 – Coping mechanisms: substance abuse and anger
 08:35 – The cultural and emotional significance of hair in Native traditions
 09:57 – Triggering events and reactivated trauma
 11:21 – Carrying grief and inherited pain across generations
 13:49 – Breaking cycles: Indigenous healing practices
 14:17 – Teaching mental wellness to the next generation
 14:57 – Healing as a lifelong process of compassion and patience
 15:54 – Closing reflections on trauma, healing, and storytelling

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