Trauma has been garnering more and more attention over the past few years, with the rampant climb of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and the understanding of what can cause it. Intergenerational trauma among American Indians is an area of study that has just started to generate attention from communities inside Indian country, academia and the medical profession. Mary Annette Pember has worked for several years to help bring this dynamic issue to the forefront of mainstream health. By addressing breaking news, such as recent evidence that this type of trauma could be passed along through DNA, and by providing several examples of how American Indians are managing and coping with trauma, Pember helps put a human face on abstract theory and practice. Here she shares personal stories that are gritty, poignant, and factual.
Source: Mary Annette Pember. “Intergenerational Trauma: Understanding Natives’ Inherited Pain.” 2016. Indian Country Today Media Network. https://www.tribaldatabase.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/ICMN-All-About-Generations-Trauma.pdf