What Movies Teach Us About Generational Trauma

In the last few years, animated movies have been exploring some heavy material about dysfunctional family dynamics, family relationships and generational trauma. Often, these movies address themes centered on families using magic and fantasy to make it fun and exciting for kids, and let’s face it, adults as well.

For those of us who have experienced trauma passed down through our families, it's easy to see beyond the fantasy and catchy songs. These stories often reflect similar stories in our own lives, making the films deeply relatable despite the magical setting.

These animated stories hold so much potential to teach us about our own generational trauma and how we can heal from it while still entertaining us. They also make an understandable reference for practically anyone when navigating their own complicated family trauma.

What is Generational Trauma?

Trauma can impact even those who did not experience it directly.

Generational trauma is trauma that passes from one generation to the next. When trauma is unresolved, parents can end up repeating patterns of behavior that children then learn from and adopt.

The trauma can carry emotional, physical, and psychological impacts that affect relationships both inside and outside of the family. If the trauma is not addressed and healed, the cycle can continue for the trauma to be passed on.

How does Generational Trauma show up?

In both movies and real life, generational trauma affects each family member differently. I’m excited to dive into a few of my favorite animated movies—Encanto, Turning Red, and Frozen—and show how they bring generational trauma and family dynamics to life in really relatable ways. I’ll be highlighting the effects of generational trauma for different characters in these movies.

The Impact of Getting Stuck in a Particular Role

In dysfunctional families that suffer from addiction, abuse, neglect, or just their own unresolved trauma, parents are not able to meet the emotional needs of their children the way that a healthy family would. As a result, the children adapt to the situation in different ways to help them survive psychologically and instead, often have to meet the needs of their parents.

Children take on whatever role is necessary for them to feel safe, gain approval or affection, protect their family, or avoid conflicts. Over time, the roles become more rigid as their place in the family’s dynamics becomes more cemented.

One child might be seen as the “golden child” who is high-achieving and prides themselves on being responsible and making their family proud.

Another sibling might be the complete opposite and act as a scapegoat. They are more rebellious and tend to break the rules, often becoming the focus of the family’s blame.

Still other children in the family might take on roles such as the quiet one who avoids conflict at all costs, feeling invisible or neglected or a role where they take on more adult responsibilities than they should.

These different roles create pressure, tension or competition between siblings and identity struggles. 

Encanto depicts these different sibling roles well. Every member of the Madrigal family has been given a special power. Luisa is the “strong one” and sings, “I’m pretty sure I’m worthless if I can’t be of service.” 

Her sister Isabela is the “perfect” one and sings,“I make perfect, practiced poses. So much hides behind my smile.”

The main protagonist, Mirabel, is the only family member who hasn’t been gifted or discovered her gift yet. She is the black sheep and scapegoat of the family. Though she is happy for her siblings who have been blessed with their magical gifts, she struggles with her own identity in the family.

“Hey, I’m still a part of the family Madrigal

And I’m fine, I am totally fine

I will stand on the side as you shine

I’m not fine, I’m not fine.”

These roles create tension between the sisters, especially Mirabel and Isabela.

Negative Core Beliefs

Developed during childhood, negative core beliefs are unconscious beliefs about one’s self and the world that often form as a response to neglect, criticism or trauma. Negative core beliefs can also be passed down in families. 

In Turning Red, we see the young girl, Mei Lee, initially in the role of the “perfect daughter” as she tries to meet her mother Ming’s expectations and uphold family traditions. The relationship between her and her mother starts off close.

However, when Mei Lee inevitably falls short of perfection, she believes that she is not good enough–a belief that her mother also carried from her early childhood experiences of being stuck in the role of the “perfect daughter.” Ming’s unresolved trauma that originated from her own relationship with her mom led to the tension in the relationship with her own daughter.

Enmeshment or Blurred Boundaries

Enmeshment occurs when a relationship (often the parent-child’s emotional relationship) becomes so entangled that individual identities become hard to separate. The parent treats their child as more of a therapist or friend white the child feels responsible for their parent’s well-being.

The parent’s insecurity that developed from their own emotional neglect makes them cling onto their child as a source of validation. This makes it all but impossible for the child to develop their own sense of self and often leads to the cycle repeating with their own children.

With enmeshment in generational trauma, a sense of guilt or obligation creates an emotional loyalty in the family that discourages the children from seeking their own truth and identity. To break this loyalty would upset the family. 

In Turning Red and Encanto, both families have unspoken rules that you stay in your role, you strictly follow family patterns and you don’t make waves. Mei Lee is expected to mirror her mother and her mother wants to be included in every aspect of her daughter’s life. In Encanto, Mirabel is viewed as the problem because she addresses what everyone else leaves unspoken.

Insecure Attachment Styles

Trauma enforces insecure attachment in childhood when parents can’t meet the emotional needs for safety and security of their children. It can then show up in various relationships.

Take a look at the movie, Frozen. Elsa is told to hide parts of herself after hurting her sister. She shuts everyone out completely, afraid that attachment will always mean that she will hurt someone. She develops an avoidant attachment based on her early childhood experiences and beliefs.

Her sister, Anna, feels this distance from her sister deeply. With her sister shut up in her room alone, Anna feels deprived of connection and is desperate to develop relationships with people and feel loved. She then finds herself making risky relationship decisions and moving very quickly into a marriage with someone she barely knows, Prince Hans, who has ulterior motives. Anna’s actions reflect an anxious attachment style.

Breaking Free from Old Patterns

Arguably the most enjoyable part of watching these movies is that they don’t just depict intergenerational trauma, but also show beautiful generational healing. And in each film–spoiler alert–patterns of enmeshment, role rigidity, avoidance and negative self-concepts are shattered and broken.

In Encanto, the family lets go of the roles they were each stuck in and are able to be their authentic selves. They create new patterns and let go of the expectation to be perfect. 

In Turning Red, mothers and daughters all create healthier boundaries in the family by allowing one another to express themselves more freely and to speak their mind. As Mei Lei says, “My panda, my choice.” 

In Frozen, the sisters are able to break patterns of secrecy and develop a secure attachment with each other and other characters in the movie. 

These animated movies show us all that there is hope for healing and a chance to break free from our own destructive patterns of generational trauma, but only if we do the necessary work.