Intergenerational Trauma: Building a Case for an Empathic Response to Caregivers & Family

Course overview

Supporting an individual during a crisis event may include interacting with family members. It is not unusual for parents and caregivers to demonstrate troubling behaviors, challenging a crisis worker's ability to respond with empathy. Increased awareness of the neurobiological mechanism of intergenerational trauma can shift a service provider's perspective and lead to an increased capacity for empathic responding. This presentation will explore how early childhood adversity and stress can impact key neurological systems that regulate stress, reward and relational capacity in the adult caregiver. Participants will learn strategies to develop their empathic responding skills when working with clients' caregivers and family members. Objectives: Identify how early childhood adversity and stress can impact brain development and future capacity to regulate stress. Describe how a caregiver's history of trauma, adversity and stress can impact parenting capacities and lead to intergenerational cycles of adversity. Recognize the value of empathic responding when interacting with family members in crisis situations.