When Parents Carry Trauma: Breaking the Intergenerational Trauma Cycle

Course overview

In this deeply insightful 3-hour training, internationally recognized therapist and attachment expert Dafna Lender, LCSW, explores the often-overlooked impact of unresolved trauma in caregivers and its profound influence on the parent-child relationship. When a parent's own trauma remains unprocessed, it can unconsciously shape their responses to their child's distress leading to patterns of disconnection, emotional misattunement, and resistance to therapeutic progress. Drawing from her expertise in Dyadic Developmental Psychotherapy (DDP) and trauma-informed care, Dafna will guide participants in identifying the subtle signs of intergenerational trauma transmission. Through case examples, role plays, and practical techniques, clinicians will learn how to compassionately engage caregivers, create emotional safety, and use attachment-based interventions that invite healing both for the parent and the child. Whether you work with families, children, or adults who are parents themselves, this workshop offers essential tools to help you break the cycle of inherited pain and create pathways to secure, connected relationships.