Intergenerational Trauma: Is it in Our DNA?

The SonRise Project creator Kelli Richardson Lawson introduces veteran speaker Sharon Green. Sharon is a life coach, founder of BloomTree Coaching and Consulting Services and is a mother of three young men. In this episode, Sharon discusses the legacy of intergenerational trauma in the Black community. She refers to Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, a condition that is a consequence of multigenerational oppression of Africans and their descendants resulting from centuries of slavery. Sharon talks about how parents can identify the trauma and where to find help to heal its effects within their own families. She encourages listeners to seek guidance from therapists, psychiatrists and elders in the community. She believes educating oneself about the issues also helps dispel guilt and shame. She says parents have a responsibility to do their homework and understand how systemic racism has affected the mental health not only of their children, but also themselves.