Intergenerational trauma or transgenerational trauma as often called, is a trauma that can
be transferred from one generation to another (Menzies, 2019). This means that a generation that
has experienced trauma can transfer the trauma to their children and the children pass it on to
their children. Intergenerational trauma was first observed in children of Holocaust or the Shoah
survivors. The Holocaust is a genocide conducted between 1941 and 1945, where more than six
million Jews were murdered systematically (Alford, 2019). In the late 1960s, psychologists
launched investigations on the high number of Holocaust survivors who were seeking medical
attention precisely in mental health in Canadian clinics (Alford, 2019). It has since been common among the descendants of domestic violence, enslavement, and
sexual abuse (Alford, 2019). Indigenous Australians have been victims of Intergenerational
trauma following experiences meted out on their descendants, including violence, loss of land,
and loss of culture (Menzies, 2019). In the words of Sir William Dean, the past is never fully
gone. It is absorbed into the present and the future'. This paper aims to discuss intergenerational
trauma basing arguments on the health state of indigenous Australians today and the implications
of the nursing practice. More
Intergenerational trauma continues to be passed from one generation to the next with
far-reaching effects. This is true because studies indicate that indigenous communities in
Australia experience the highest rates of poor physical and mental health, substance use
addictions, domestic violence, and suicide (Radke & Douglas, 2020). Additionally, people who
experience trauma are more likely to engage in self-destructive behaviors and remain longer in
the criminal justice system.

According to Jawaid, Roszkowsi, & Mansuy (2018), intergenerational trauma can influence anxiety, depression, confusion, and numbness. Many attempts have been carried out to address the effects of intergenerational trauma, including education, empowerment, health, and housing. However, nothing much has changed as the
indigenous communities in Australia continue to suffer the negative effects of trauma.
There are three main nursing implications for intergenerational trauma. One of them is
the use of the intergenerational trauma treatment model (ITTM) (Copping, 2018). The model is used
to address all past traumatic events of parents or caregivers that were unresolved. This is done to
prevent passing on trauma from one generation to the next. The second implication is conducting
family therapies. It helps to heal the pain caused by intergenerational trauma. The third and last
nursing implication is patient education. Nurses provide health education that focuses on
educating patients about the most effective ways to manage conditions such as intergenerational
trauma (Gaywash, Mordoch, 2018).