Breaking the Cycle: Choosing a Different Path for Your Generation

Many of the people I work with in their 20's-40's share a common thread: a desire to do things differently than the generation that came before them. Whether it’s about relationships, parenting, emotional expression, or family communication, there’s a strong motivation to break cycles of generational trauma—and yet, that journey can feel lonely, complicated, or even intimidating.

It’s important to validate that this is both brave and challenging. Deciding to step away from patterns you’ve known your whole life often means confronting uncomfortable truths, questioning traditions, and taking responsibility for your own emotional well-being. It’s not about blaming your family, but about reclaiming your power to live differently.

For many multicultural clients, as well as white clients, this work may involve balancing cultural expectations, heritage, and family loyalty with the desire to create healthier boundaries and relationships. Each family and cultural system carries its own rules and unspoken dynamics, and learning to navigate them while honoring your own growth can be complex.

Therapy can be a safe space to explore these patterns, understand your triggers, and practice new ways of relating to yourself and others. We focus on:

• Recognizing intergenerational patterns that no longer serve you.

• Learning strategies to respond rather than react to old family dynamics.

• Strengthening boundaries that feel authentic and protective.

• Building relationships and habits that honor your values, rather than simply repeating what you grew up with.

Choosing to do things differently doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t make you a “bad” child, sibling, or partner—it makes you conscious and courageous. By acknowledging the past while intentionally shaping the future, you’re giving yourself and your generation a gift: the opportunity to heal, grow, and thrive in ways that feel alive, present, and whole.