Book Review: Embarking on an Emotional Journey with Emotional Inheritance by Galit Atlas, Ph.D.

In 2023, I began to dive into the world of emotional inheritance and this book changed the way I looked at my ancestors’ lives and how their experiences may have impacted me.

Emotional Inheritance by Galit Atlas, Ph.D. isn’t just a book—it’s a powerful journey into the emotional legacies we carry. Atlas weaves together psychological theory and real-life stories to explain how trauma, silence, and unspoken feelings are passed down from generation to generation.

Reading this opened my eyes in a whole new way. It helped me connect the dots between the stories I’ve uncovered in my research and the emotions I’ve felt in my own life. It reminded me that family history isn’t just about names and dates—it’s about patterns, pain, resilience, and healing.

One of the most meaningful parts of this journey? Realizing that understanding these emotional echoes helps us not only connect more deeply with our ancestors but also start to heal the pieces of ourselves we didn’t know were inherited.

If you’re on a path of self-discovery through genealogy or simply want to explore the unseen threads that tie us to our past, I can’t recommend Emotional Inheritance enough.

Let’s keep exploring the stories behind the stories—and honoring the emotions our ancestors couldn’t always speak aloud.