May 22, 2026
In today’s conversation, we dive into the topic of intergenerational trauma with Mark Wolynn, the author of It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle. Mark is a leading expert in inherited family trauma and the director of The Family Constellation Institute in San Francisco, where he trains clinicians and works with individuals struggling with depression, anxiety, panic disorders, obsessive thoughts, self-injury, chronic pain, and illness.
Mark regularly leads workshops and trainings at hospitals, clinics, conferences, and educational centers across the globe. He has presented at institutions including the University of Pittsburgh, Western Psychiatric Institute, Kripalu, Omega Institute, New York Open Center, and the California Institute of Integral Studies.
This discussion outlines:
-
What inherited family trauma really is.
-
The connection between epigenetics and trauma transmission across generations.
-
How trauma work can help identify and heal deeply rooted emotional patterns.
-
What “unconscious loyalty” means, and why we often repeat painful family dynamics without realizing it.
-
Practical ways to begin breaking generational cycles and creating emotional resilience.
Even patterns that feel intensely personal may have roots that extend far beyond your own experiences. This conversation explores how inherited emotional wounds can quietly shape relationships, behaviors, fears, and identity — often without us realizing it…
Learn more about Mark:
Buy It Didn’t Start with You on Amazon
🎧 Listen now on Apple Podcasts: http://apple.co/30PvU9C
Keep up with Mark Wolynn socials here:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/markwolynn/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MarkWolynn/
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@markwolynn4681
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@markwolynn
🛍️ Recommended Books from this Episode
📖 It Didn't Start with You: How Inherited Family
Trauma Shapes Who We Are and How to End the Cycle – A deep
dive into how generational trauma influences our lives and
actionable ways to break the cycle for healing and
growth.
👉 Get it
here
📘 The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in
the Healing of Trauma – A groundbreaking guide exploring
how trauma affects the body and mind, with innovative strategies
for recovery and resilience.
👉 Check it
out
📙 Adult Children of Emotionally Immature
Parents – A practical guide to understanding and healing
from emotionally distant, rejecting, or self-involved parents to
foster healthier adult relationships.
👉 Explore it
here
📕 Attached: The New Science of Adult Attachment and
How It Can Help You Find—and Keep—Love – A science-backed
approach to understanding attachment styles and building stronger,
more secure relationships.
👉 Discover it
here
📗 Healing Developmental Trauma: How Early Trauma Affects
Self-Regulation, Self-Image, and the Capacity for
Relationship – A guide to addressing the long-term effects
of childhood trauma on emotional regulation, identity, and
relationships.
👉 Learn more here
Note: These are affiliate links. If you make a purchase through them, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. It helps support the podcast. Thank you!