Salish Wolf #47 Mark Wolynn on Inherited Trauma, Family Constellations, and the Impacts of a Pandemic
Mark Wolynn is an expert on inherited family trauma and the author of the book, It Didn’t Start With You. His research and perspectives on trauma provide immense opportunities for healing, not just for the individual, but for generations to come. By understanding where we come from and the baggage that we carry, we can live with fewer emotional burdens today and break cycles that might sabotage our future and that of our offspring.
I cannot more strongly recommend Mark’s book, and we explore many of its concepts in this interview. We begin with the notion of inherited trauma and the direct biological link of at least three family generations, and energetically of many more. Another major topic is attachment trauma, and we discuss how a break in the mother bond at any stage of childhood development can have massive reverberations in adulthood and potentially through the family lineage. In his book and clinical practice, Mark explores core language and how it can serve as a map through our family history to the root of traumas.
Mark also takes us along his personal journey into a debilitating condition that catalyzed his global travel in search of healers and healing. What he eventually discovered shocked him and sent him back to his childhood home to renegotiate his relationship with his parents. There a hug from his mom helped not only to initiate his healing but also to shape his clinical practice, and we talk about the power of hugs in therapy. We also talk about his work with Family Constellations and assess the global traumas of the pandemic that are affecting all of us.
Through his work and writing, Mark elegantly lays out possible paths to recovery and has helped countless break the cycle of suffering. This is a practical, eye opening, and inspirational interview that has the potential to serve all of humanity.
Please enjoy this episode of Salish Wolf with Mark Wolynn.
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