Intergenerational Trauma: What It Is and How Therapy Can Help Black and Indigenous Canadians Heal

What if your anxiety today is actually not completely yours? Many African and Indigenous people in Canada face challenges that stem far beyond their experiences. Intergenerational trauma describes the phenomenon where unresolved trauma, stress, and emotional burdens continue to affect people for generations without their knowledge. There is research evidence to prove that depression, anxiety, and trauma caused by structural racism are disproportionately experienced by people of color in Canada. For Indigenous people in Canada, colonization and residential schools are examples of experiences that cause intergenerational trauma. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, as there is an increasing number of culturally sensitive intergenerational trauma therapy options available in Canada.

What Is Intergenerational Trauma?

Intergenerational trauma, sometimes referred to as historical or transgenerational trauma, refers to the phenomenon in which the consequences of traumatic experiences are passed on across generations. According to a report by the University of Calgary, toxic stress not dealt with leads to the creation of trauma that persists for generations until it is sorted out.

This particular trauma for Indigenous people in Canada can be linked to the Indian Residential School experience, colonialism, and taking children away from their cultures. In the case of Black people in Canada, this trauma is associated with issues such as racism against them, slavery, and racialized violence against them.

Cause	Affected Community	Lasting Impact
Residential Schools	Indigenous Canadians	PTSD, grief, identity loss
Colonization	Indigenous Canadians	Cultural disconnection, substance use
Anti-Black racism	Black Canadians	Anxiety, hypervigilance, distrust
Systemic discrimination	Both communities	Depression, low self-worth

This trauma does not simply fade with time. Without healing, it continues to shape how people think, feel, relate to others, and move through the world.

How Intergenerational Trauma Shows Up in Daily Life

Understanding the symptoms of intergenerational trauma is hard because it may appear as something that affects an individual in their life. Some examples of the symptoms include:

• Constant anxiety or depression for no apparent reason

• Lack of trust in other people, even healthcare professionals

• Emotional detachment from oneself and his/her heritage and culture

• Feelings of constant danger and hypervigilance

• Use of drugs or alcohol as a coping mechanism

• Parenting difficulties

• Low self-esteem is associated with one’s cultural/racial background

A recent study conducted in 2025 and featured in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health showed that daily racism, microaggressions, and anti-black racism result in anxiety and depression, and trauma symptoms among black Canadians. These are not personal experiences. They are a consequence of generational trauma.

Our guide on everyday health tips for improved living shares practical steps you can take to build a stronger foundation for your overall well-being.

Why Black and Indigenous Canadians Are Disproportionately Affected

Canada's history of colonization has resulted in creating an environment in which intergenerational trauma thrives within Indigenous populations. Through the Indian Residential School program, Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families. Indigenous children lost their languages, culture, and sense of community. Abuse and torture, both physical and psychological, including sexual abuse, were rampant. Many children did not survive.

Thus, currently, many Indigenous communities suffer from PTSD, depression, suicide, and substance misuse. In response to this situation, Indigenous Tools for Living was introduced in a 2026 Government of British Columbia initiative in order to provide healthcare workers with the tools needed to work with their patients suffering from such intergenerational trauma.

Systemic racism serves as a continuous stressor for Black Canadians. In a statement made by the Minister of Health in Canada in 2026 during Black Mental Health Week, the minister recognized the fact that systemic racism, discrimination, social exclusion, and economic disadvantage contribute to the stress of being a Black Canadian. In addition, the Employee Assistance Program by the federal government has offered services related to Black mental health at a client-to-provider matching rate of 92%.

However, some obstacles exist. In a 2026 scoping review published by the University of Waterloo, it was noted that even though Black Canadians have a higher risk of poorer mental well-being than the general population, they do not always utilize resources because of financial issues and cultural prejudice.

For those also navigating family-based harm alongside racial trauma, our resource on domestic violence support and abuse recovery in Ontario offers additional guidance tailored to BIPOC individuals and families.

What Types of Therapy Actually Help

All therapy is not created equally regarding racial trauma and intergenerational healing. Therapies that work best involve evidence-based clinical practices as well as culturally relevant interventions. Some of the more effective interventions include the following:

Culturally Adapted CBT (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy) Traditional CBT is adapted to account for racial and cultural context, helping clients challenge trauma-based thought patterns in ways that honour their lived experience.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) EMDR has shown strong results for processing deep-seated trauma, including racial trauma. It helps individuals reprocess painful memories without having to relive them in full detail.

Somatic Therapy Because trauma lives in the body, somatic approaches help clients reconnect with their physical sensations in safe, grounded ways. This is especially useful for those whose trauma responses are stored physically.

The Healing Racial Trauma Protocol (HRTP) Newly developed and published in June 2025, the HRTP is a clinical protocol designed specifically for racial trauma. A randomized controlled trial is currently underway in Canada, showing significant early promise for Black and Indigenous populations.

Racial trauma therapy works best when the therapist has lived experience or deep cultural competence. Seeking a provider who understands your community's history is not a luxury. It is a clinical necessity.

If you are also managing trauma within a workplace context, our blog on maximizing employee assistance programs for workplace mental health explains how to make the most of available support at work.

How Cultural Healing Practices Support Recovery

Therapy should complement and not replace cultural healing. Cultural healing for indigenous Canadians can involve practices like:

• Talking circles that provide a safe space for storytelling

• Advice from Elders for intergenerational learning and connection

• Healing on the land to foster a sense of belonging and identity

• Ceremonies and rituals to restore spiritual and emotional balance

• Restoring one’s language as a way to reclaim culture and repair one’s identity

In 2026, the Canadian government allocated over $1 million for the creation of a trauma healing lodge by the Endacho Healing Society in the Northwest Territories. This healing lodge is meant to offer culturally informed counselling services.

The experience of cultural healing for Black Canadians in Canada encompasses community care, religious groups, peer groups of fellow Blacks, and culturally sensitive therapists.

At Sankofa Wellness Collective Well, the approach to healing is rooted in exactly this understanding. Therapy here is culturally grounded, trauma-informed, and built for the unique experiences of Black and Indigenous clients navigating intergenerational trauma in a Canadian context.

When to Seek Intergenerational Trauma Therapy in Canada

You don’t have to be in crisis to ask for help. Some signs you may want to contact someone include:

• You notice recurring patterns of fear, avoidance, and/or emotional distress

• You feel disconnected from your culture and community

• The stress of parenting and relationships seems greater than it should be

• You feel hypervigilant when going about your daily tasks

• You feel the weight of grief or anger that seems larger than just your own story

Getting help early makes all the difference. Intergenerational patterns can best be broken the sooner they are addressed. If you are just beginning to open the door to healing, our blog on welcoming care and starting your wellness journey is a gentle and encouraging place to start.

Conclusion

The act of healing from generational trauma doesn't mean forgetting what happened, but having an awareness of the past, knowing it well enough so that it doesn’t dictate your future. In the case of Black and Indigenous peoples of Canada, their path to healing must be not only individual but community-based as well.

If you are ready to take the first step, explore the culturally affirming, trauma-informed support available at Sankofa Wellness Collective. You deserve care that meets you where you are and walks with you toward where you want to be.

Share this blog with someone who needs to know that healing is possible and that they do not have to carry this alone.

FAQs

Q1: What is intergenerational trauma, and how does it affect Black and Indigenous Canadians? 

Intergenerational trauma refers to the transfer of psychological or emotional wounds from one generation to another. In the case of Black Canadians, the wounds result from anti-Black racism. Concerning Indigenous Canadians, the wounds are the result of colonization as well as the residential school system. Both these groups tend to struggle more with anxiety, depression, PTSD, and substance abuse because of the inherited wounds.

Q2: How does intergenerational trauma therapy in Canada differ from regular therapy? 

Therapy for intergenerational trauma among both Blacks and Indigenous people in Canada considers culture, racialized history, and communal approaches to healing. Traditional therapy uses approaches that might not always consider how the damage suffered due to systemic racism can be worsened by therapy techniques that are applied generically. Effective therapy must take into account the specific needs of these communities.

Q3: Can intergenerational trauma be fully healed? 

Yes, healing is not only possible but can happen successfully when intergenerational trauma is combined with evidence-based psychotherapy and traditional healing approaches. Studies show that effective healing requires the combination of evidence-based approaches, such as EMDR, CBT, and somatic therapy, as well as traditional practices. These include talking circles, Elders, and ceremonies.

Q4: What is racial trauma therapy, and who is it for? 

Race-based traumatic therapy is a type of therapy meant to deal with trauma caused by racism, discrimination, and acts of racial violence. Race-based traumatic therapy is meant for any individual whose mental well-being has been impacted by racism and its forms, such as racial discrimination or microaggressions. Racial trauma therapy is especially relevant for Black and Indigenous populations in Canada because they struggle with racial trauma due to historical events and ongoing racism.

Q5: Where can I find culturally affirming intergenerational trauma therapy in Canada? 

Sankofa Mindset (sankofamindset.ca) is an organization that offers culturally competent and trauma-informed therapy for Black and Indigenous populations in Canada. For a national directory, you can contact Health Canada at canada.ca/mental-health.