Play Book Tag discussion

I have so much to say about this gem of a book, and so little time. Which also reflects my experience of reading it, as I have had extremely little time and attention. This is a book I would have preferred to languidly savor. It was cleverly written. Very interesting concept.

First let me say, that I know a lot about Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma I have even written and presented a paper on it. For any psychoanalytic psychologist, this is not unfamiliar ground. Many analytic themes are presented here. Compulsion to repeat/Repetition Compulsion. The idea is that with insight and reflectivity, making the unconscious more conscious, we can recognize the patterns, be they thrust upon us or created, and choose to act differently. To not be ruled by habitual unthought action. Our insight is our keys and tools and techniques. How we come to change ourselves for the better.

I have always thought that cultures and families, secrets and trauma, is passed down through the genes. But also so is the good stuff. Recipes, stories, resilience.... Fear, hope, attachment styles. There is a lot more spirituality and woo woo in the field of psychology and that underlies our concepts than we would like to admit. Our attempt to be a hard science, which neurology and neurobiology and epigenesis helps of course, but there is also a good deal of the mystical. I have written a paper on that as well.

There are people who use past life regression as a therapeutic modality, but its quite rare to see. But it is the same concept. I do think the psychoanalytic folks come closest, with our deep peering into the past and into the history of internal and external dynamics in relationship. But then there is the odd thing. My 13 year old son is talking about organ donor recipients taking on the characteristics of the previous heart owner. Loving things they do not remember, nor never cared for. Having new likes and dislikes, proclivities, and even mannerisms. This is more evidence of the body carrying pieces of the soul. As is, they way bodies hold on for right timing for birth and death, wait for loved ones, etc.... With all our science and technology, one thing we cannot predict is the timing of these two phenomena.

I enjoyed the book. I never say this, but it might have even been okay to be a bit longer. By the time you hear the stories of the five women, its almost over. I thought the end was clever and worth discussing when others have read it through to the end. I wish I could speak of that in my review. But alas, that will have to wait.

Very much enjoyed, I hope you did as well.

I really loved this book when I read it, and I’m glad you liked it too. I knew I would want to read it again and I hope to soon. I’m intrigued by the epigenetics idea, even though it seems like fantasy to me. I didn’t want to ruin my reading experience by searching for holes to poke, so I tried not to look at it closely. But it’s been there in the back of my mind.

I tend to think of inter-generational trauma as coming from observed behavioral patterns, stories, coping strategies, reactions, behavioral modeling. and shared emotional responses. We know that bad moods are contagious, some abuse victims become abusers, and we can’t help but learn parenting and coping skills by observing our parents (despite our best intentions). We didn’t learn much about analytical psychology in my PhD program, but i can see the appeal. Much of our body functions without our conscious control, and there is still so much that we can’t explain.

Epigenetics seems magical to me, but then again, so do bird’s innate migratory patterns. Recent research with fish and birds suggest that genetic adaptations can occur in a single lifetime. I don’t know if it’s true, but I read that our screen viewing habits are affecting the bone structure of our necks, and we will see changes in future generations. So I’m keeping an open mind.

I love that Nancy. That was very well put.

Amy wrote: "I love that Nancy. That was very well put."

Thanks Amy. It’s fun to geek out a little. I love how all the lines between disciplines (and sub-disciplines) are blurring. The more I learn, the more I see how everything is connected.