Friday 29th November 2024
Andalus
On Friday evening over 50 women from across the community came together for a moving and transformative event: “Overcoming the Past: Healing Generational Trauma.” This closed, women-only gathering created a safe and sacred space for open dialogue, reflection, and learning about the silent wounds carried across generations.
Led by an expert panel of healthcare and mental health professionals, the event explored the emotional, psychological, and spiritual effects of generational trauma—and more importantly, how we begin to heal.
Fai Yousaf, an integrative counsellor with a person-centred approach, opened the panel with a compelling look into how generational trauma takes root, particularly in female South Asian and Muslim households. Drawing on her therapeutic work, she highlighted recurring patterns such as Parentification and Interpersonal & relationship difficulties – often rooted in inherited emotional suppression or unresolved family conflict.
Fai emphasized that while she does not offer prescriptive healing strategies, self-awareness and curiosity are essential first steps. She encouraged women to begin exploring their personal narratives with honesty and compassion, acknowledging that culturally sensitive therapy plays a vital role in the journey.
Dr. Sahira Dar, GP and founder of Pure Remedy, brought a powerful child-focused perspective. Her talk centered on how trauma in childhood becomes embedded, sometimes invisibly, and how it often stems from immigration-related stressors, such as displacement, loss, and cultural dissonance.
She also shared sobering statistics on childhood trauma and abuse within our communities and offered tools for:
- Recognising patterns of inherited trauma
- Understanding the impact on identity and emotional regulation
- Adopting a holistic healing approach—considering the emotional, physical, and spiritual aspects of wellness
Dr. Dar’s blend of medical expertise and cultural insight made her message especially impactful: healing the child within is essential to stopping the cycle.
Rounding off the panel, Dr. Lubna Ghouri, a psychiatrist with years of experience in mental health diagnosis and treatment, provided a deep dive into the clinical impact of generational trauma. She broke down common mental health conditions linked to trauma, such as: Depression, Anxiety, PTSD and dissociation and emotional dysregulation.
Crucially, Dr. Ghouri spoke about the power of faith and spirituality in recovery, reminding the audience that Islamic tradition honours emotional healing, self-reflection, and community support. Her message reaffirmed that faith and therapy can go hand in hand, offering culturally respectful paths toward recovery.
The panel also featured scenario-based discussions, bringing real-life situations to light. This interactive format encouraged the audience to reflect deeply and ask meaningful questions—many of which touched on parenting, marriage, emotional expression, and faith.
The Q&A session allowed for intimate and honest dialogue, reinforcing a sense of community, validation, and support. Many attendees voiced how comforting it was to hear their personal struggles spoken aloud by professionals who understood both their cultural context and religious values.
“Overcoming the Past” was more than just a panel—it was a collective turning point. A moment to recognize that we are not alone in our pain, and that healing is not only possible, but deeply necessary.
From breaking the silence on taboo topics to learning how to rewrite generational narratives, the event served as a reminder: we are the generation that gets to choose differently.
