Episode 03: Unmasking Generational Trauma with Gina Birkemeier

Initiations in Love Podcast

In today’s episode, Britta talks with Gina Birkemeier, licensed counselor, award-winning author, and speaker. The topic? Generational Trauma & Generational Healing! Listen as Gina shares her journey through the five Initiations in Love stages, and how she unmasked inherited dysfunction, and became a pattern breaker in her family. Learn how she found healing and peace, and turned her pain into her greatest gift. Discover how breaking cycles of generational trauma can be a useful tool for YOU!

Gina Birkemeier is a licensed professional counselor, award-winning author, and speaker. She holds a master’s degree in psychology and theology and has advanced training in trauma and evidence-based therapies to help people heal. Fueled by a passion derived from being a survivor of generational dysfunction and trauma, Gina has walked with the hurting to help them find hope and healing for nearly two decades. Her teaching and writing are rooted in a combination of faith (defined as a healthy relationship with God) and the sciences of psychology, biology, and epigenetics.

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Resources and References

• https://corexperience.com/initiations-in-love/

• https://corexperience.com/

• https://www.ginabirkemeier.com/

Show Notes

1:11 - Welcome today’s special guest: Gina Birkemeier!

1:55 - Gina explains her expertise in generational dysfunction and healing

3:08 - Britta and Gina dig into The Awakening stage for Gina - as well as Gina’s foray into understanding generational trauma and how it affects us all

7:46 - When the pain of staying the same becomes more than the pain of change - and how we are created to walk this path together as humans

9:31 - Friends and community made up the healthy relationships to start Gina on her healing path

11:43 - Gina defines for us “emotionally corrective experiences”, and shares a story from her book to depict it

15:27 - Hindsight is 20/20: Gina on her decision to become a healer and help others like her, while she was in her own process - what called her to do this?

18:12 - Redefining “God” for our listeners - and how Gina straddles the line of spiritual and psychological healing for a profound healing journey

22:14 - When did the intergenerational stuff get intense for Gina in her journey?

27:05 - Gina talks through her struggle with the decision to break contact with her family of origin - and how the experience has been for her

30:29 - Important piece for our listeners: There isn’t always a happy ending (and how to be at peace with it)

32:53 - What becoming a “breaker” means and entails (and some harmful self-beliefs Gina has had to overcome)

36:39 - As Gina has been consciously breaking patterns, what has the effect been on Gina - and the people around her? (and Britta shares her personal experience with breaking)

42:10 - On being discerning about what we want to keep vs. what we don’t want to keep while doing this generational work

43:45 - Gina gives us a full understanding of the idea of “posture of Grace”

51:15 - We break down The Gift stage for Gina - which she refers to as “Redemption multiplied”!

54:51 - These Initiations in Love can ONLY happen IF…

56:12 - If someone is curious about intergenerational trauma and breaking cycles, what does Gina suggest they do?

59:44 - Final thoughts from Gina!