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It is this knowledge that informsDr. Mariel Buqué’scontributions to the mental health field. Dr. Buqué is a Columbia University-trained psychologist,intergenerational traumaexpert, and author of the upcoming book “Break the Cycle,” a guide to healing intergenerational trauma that fuses modern psychology with ancient and indigenous healing practices. She is shifting the way we view mental health, pulling the focus from the individual and shifting to the mental health of families, communities, and society as a whole.
Dr. Mariel Buqué is one of our top 25 thought leaders, experts, and advocates making a difference in mental health.See 2023 Honorees
Dr. Mariel Buqué is one of our top 25 thought leaders, experts, and advocates making a difference in mental health.
See 2023 Honorees
Creating Change Outside of the Conventional
Dr. Buqué’s eclectic use of various modalities, likesound bath meditationandbreathwork, isn’t only innovative—it is a homage to those of us who come from cultures with healing modalities that are often overlooked in the Western world.
During her studies, she was offered a clinical fellowship framed around integrated mental health care, which is now commonly referred to as holistic psychology. In addition to the various classes she took during her studies, she also received guidance from supervisors who taught her eclectic approaches, like meditating in session with clients. “I have known for quite some time that my approach can be a bit unconventional. It can tap into layers and dimensions that many of us have not been ready to touch,” she admits. Yet, it only makes sense that when healing trauma that began generations ago, she’d turn to ancient practices.
I have known for quite some time that my approach can be a bit unconventional. It can tap into layers and dimensions that many of us have not been ready to touch.—DR. MARIEL BUQUÉ
I have known for quite some time that my approach can be a bit unconventional. It can tap into layers and dimensions that many of us have not been ready to touch.
—DR. MARIEL BUQUÉ
The intergenerational transmission of trauma speaks to the burgeoning evidence thatparental trauma can impact their children, even if the trauma occurred before they were conceived.This may speak to those who sense they have inherited ways of coping and responding to stressors that mirror those of their caretakers, despite their best attempts to do otherwise.
A 2022 study published in theInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Healthfound that theadverse childhood experiencesof fathers were predictive of negative family health outcomes.This proves what we don’t heal persists, underscoring the importance of Dr. Buqué’s work.
Causes and Risk Factors of PTSD
Honoring the Body’s Wisdom
Dr. Buqué approaches healing with an emphasis on thesomatics. This means she incorporates the body into healing, recognizing the limitations of merely talking abouttraumaand addressing the fact that our body can internalize trauma. However, this may feel overwhelming for those who are newcomers to their healing journey.
How to Cope With Emotional Stress
Heal Yourself, Heal Your Lineage
When we’ve healed, we have different boundaries, perspectives, andways of communicating. This sets a precedent for those around us to adapt to our new boundaries and ways of being, which can disrupt the cycle of familial dysfunction. “The work is layered, complex, nuanced,holistic, and needs time. And, the work can be started at the very least with you,” she continues.
The How Generation
If you openInstagramor scroll on TikTok long enough, you’ll likely come across honest accounts of mental health struggles and actionable tips on how to get well. It is obvious that the landscape of our culture has changed significantly, with mental health losing its taboo nature. I asked Dr. Buqué how she views the state of mental health today and she shared a powerful observation.
She noted that five to ten years ago, our collective culture was in what she refers to as the “what” stage. This was an era of folks expressing genuine curiosity about various mental health conditions, with many learning aboutanxietyanddepressionfor the very first time.
Now, she sees that we are in the “how” stage, with those who may have wondered what anxiety was now shifting to a curiosity abouthow to heal anxiety. This current era of mental health awareness is very action-oriented. Yet, we cannot forget the context of our climate and the realities of mental health as we come off the heels of a pandemic. “It is even more pertinent and necessary for us to have these tools and tips in this ‘how’ stage we are in,” stated Dr. Buqué.
Types of Re-Experiencing in PTSD
Visions of a Well Future
At this point, it should be abundantly clear that Dr. Buqué has adopted a visionary perspective on today’s state of mental health. Curious about how she sees generations of healing moving forward, we asked her what her hope is for the future. “My hope is that we can one day see mental health as part of our global health… So that we don’t treat it separately in treatment centers and doctor’s offices,” she shared.
From her holistically-oriented mind, she sees an opportunity to dismantle the current structure of mental health to create a system that accounts for themind, body, and spirit connection, catering to those who are in need of healing.
My hope is that we can one day see mental health as part of our global health… So that we don’t treat it separately in treatment centers and doctor’s offices.
Shifting systemsmay feel daunting. Some folks are awakening to what it means for them to shift their own perspectives and redefine what they want their future generations to experience for the very first time, bringing in the idea of changing our culture together may be all too much. Yet, I heard Dr. Buqué use the term“we”quite often throughout our time together. This notion of a collective “we” invites us to radically reconsider the possibilities that await when we all begin to do our part.
Our part boils down to beginning to address our hurts, remembering that when we do so, we respond to our world differently and in turn, the world responds to us differently. “If I could have a dream… It would be for us to do profound healing in this generation and then, as a generation, be able to see the impact in the upcoming generation,” mused Buqué.
2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry. 2018;17(3):243-257. doi:10.1002/wps.20568Reese EM, Barlow MJ, Dillon M, Villalon S, Barnes MD, Crandall A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma: the mediating effects of family health.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):5944. doi:10.3390/ijerph19105944
2 Sources
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry. 2018;17(3):243-257. doi:10.1002/wps.20568Reese EM, Barlow MJ, Dillon M, Villalon S, Barnes MD, Crandall A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma: the mediating effects of family health.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):5944. doi:10.3390/ijerph19105944
Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry. 2018;17(3):243-257. doi:10.1002/wps.20568Reese EM, Barlow MJ, Dillon M, Villalon S, Barnes MD, Crandall A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma: the mediating effects of family health.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):5944. doi:10.3390/ijerph19105944
Yehuda R, Lehrner A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma effects: putative role of epigenetic mechanisms.World Psychiatry. 2018;17(3):243-257. doi:10.1002/wps.20568
Reese EM, Barlow MJ, Dillon M, Villalon S, Barnes MD, Crandall A.Intergenerational transmission of trauma: the mediating effects of family health.Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(10):5944. doi:10.3390/ijerph19105944
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