Rewriting Your DNA: How Ancestral Trauma Shapes You (and How to Heal)

Your body carries more than just your own experiences— it holds the echoes of those who came before you. Science now confirms what many cultures have long known: trauma can be passed down through generations. Through epigenetics, we’ve learned that life experiences, especially trauma don’t  just affect the person experiencing them. They can leave biological markers that get passed down, influencing the health, emotions, and behaviors of future generations.

For many, inherited trauma is tied to family dynamics, personal struggles, and unconscious patterns. But for African-American and Brown communities, this trauma is also deeply tied to systemic oppression, cultural displacement, and the survival-based conditioning our ancestors endured.

In my case, I come from a bloodline of cults, cycles of control, abuse, forced belief systems, and disempowerment. I was never set up for success, but deep down, I always knew I was meant to break the pattern. This is something that I’ve dedicated my life to in the hopes of encouraging others to do the same. 

The truth is, just as trauma can be inherited, so can healing. And that means you don’t have to be trapped in the pain of the past. You can rewrite your DNA, not by changing its structure, but by changing the way it expresses itself through healing.

What is Epigenetics? (The Science of Inherited Trauma)

“Your genes are not your destiny—they are your script, and you can edit it.”

Epigenetics is the study of how life experiences— like trauma, stress, or even joy — can switch genes on or off without actually changing your DNA sequence. This means that while your genetic code remains the same, your bodies responses can shift based on past experiences even those of your ancestors.

Scientific Evidence of Inherited Trauma

Trauma from slavery, segregation, colonization, war, forced displacement, and violence has been shown to alter DNA markers, which are then passed down.

For example:

 Studies show that Holocaust survivors’ descendants have higher stress hormone levels, even though they never experienced the trauma firsthand. (Scientific American)

Similar patterns have been found in African-American descendants of enslaved people, showing increased vulnerability to stress-related illnesses, PTSD, and anxiety.

Colonization and forced displacement have left Brown communities with generational trauma that manifests in survival-based mindsets, chronic stress, and cultural disconnection.

The key takeaway? Trauma leaves a mark on the body, but so does healing.

How Ancestral Trauma Manifests in African-American and Brown Communities

“We are still healing wounds we did not create.”

For African-American and Brown communities, trauma isn’t just personal it’s systemic, generational, and deeply embedded in our histories. Some of the struggles we experience today are not random —they’re the echoes of survival mechanisms passed down for generations.

1. Hyper-Independence and Distrust of Others

Many of our ancestors had to rely only on themselves to survive, making hyper-independence a survival trait.

This manifests as emotional walls, difficulty asking for help, and a deep fear of vulnerability.

2. Financial Trauma and Scarcity Mindsets

• Generations of economic exclusion, systemic barriers, and stolen wealth have ingrained a survival-based approach to money.
• You may feel constant financial anxiety, guilt around spending, or an internalized fear of “not having enough,”— even when financially stable.

3. Chronic Stress and Anxiety

• The nervous system of an entire lineage can carry fear, especially in communities that have historically faced discrimination, displacement, and violence.
• This can look like hypervigilance, difficulty relaxing, or always expecting the worst.

4. Unexplained Fears, Phobias, or Physical Symptoms

• Some inherited trauma is not just emotional— it’s physical.
• Symptoms like chronic pain, digestive issues, or autoimmune disorders can sometimes be linked to past stress, malnutrition, or environmental factors our ancestors endured.

In my own lineage, I come from a bloodline of cults, cycles of control, abuse  forced belief systems, and disempowerment. I wasn’t set up for success, but I always knew I was meant to break free. If you feel like you’re re carrying pain that isn’t fully yours you're not alone.

How Somatic Healing Helps Rewire Trauma

“The body holds trauma, and the body is where we heal it.”

Healing inherited trauma isn’t just about talking through it’s about feeling through it. Trauma lives in the body, so we have to work with the body to release it.

Somatic Healing Practices for Ancestral Trauma

 Body Scanning & Sensory Awareness

• Tune into your body: Where is tension stored? Where do you feel numb?
• Acknowledging these areas begins the process of release.

Breathwork & Nervous System Regulation

Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, sending a signal to your body that it is safe.

 Practices like box breathing, alternate nostril breathing, and deep belly breaths can help reset stress responses passed down from survival mode.

Movement & Release Practices

• Trauma gets stuck in the body, and movement helps release it.
• Shaking , stretching, dancing, or trauma-release exercises can help discharge stored survival energy.

Visualization & Ancestral Healing

• Imagine yourself breaking old cycles and sending healing to your lineage.
•  Journaling, altar work, or connecting with ancestral wisdom can help shift generational wounds into generational healing.

Healing isn’t just for you—it’s for those who came before you and those who will come after.

Rewriting the Story: Healing Yourself & Future Generations

“You are the turning point in your lineage.”

• Just as trauma gets passed down, so does healing.
• When you heal yourself, you change the genetic expression of future generations.
•  Ask yourself:
•  What emotional or physical patterns might I have inherited?
•  What is my body telling me that my mind might not remember?
• How can I practice small acts of healing today?

 Start by tuning into your body—what sensations are present right now?

What’s one ancestral pattern you're ready to break? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

Final Thoughts

Healing inherited trauma is not about erasing the past but transforming how it lives in you. Your body is a living archive, carrying both pain and resilience. By integrating somatic healing, we create new pathways— not just for ourselves, but for our entire lineage.

You are the shift. You are the revolution. And you are proof that healing is possible ❤️

xoxo,

 Vudu Dahl