Generations Deep By Gina Birkemeier
Reviews and Awards for Generations Deep
Ranked No. 1 on Amazon’s Christian Self-Help & Personal Growth categories.
“This book is a must-read for anyone who wants to take an honest and thorough look at the dysfunction of previous family generations and the impact it has had on them. Gina shares her story with unapologetic honesty and humility; she holds nothing back and because of this, she is a voice that can be trusted. Though written from a Christian perspective, she has nothing to prove and no personal agenda to force upon anyone. She’s not trying to convince the reader of her innocence or blame her choices on anyone else. She simply tells a story of bondage to freedom, of shame to self-compassion, and in doing so gives the reader tools to walk toward their own healing. She owns what she owns and she shows the reader how powerful and freeing it is to “own your stuff.” If you are looking for a guide through your journey from familial chaos to peace, clarity, and forgiveness, she is your girl. Though this book is immensely practical, it will also have you in tears, in shock, and ultimately inspired to live your very best life. Read this book at your own risk though, because how you see yourself and your family will never be the same.”
— Caitlin Kasberg, MA, Board Certified Christian Counselor, CIT
“The book is engaging and very moving. Certain parts of the story were so compelling it brought me to tears, and my engagement was solely due to Gina’s ability to draw me into her experience. Gina’s ability to tell her own story will benefit a variety of people and audiences. She was able to take rather complicated subject matter and explain it in layman terminology...what a gift. So many rich truths to ponder. Gina’s life story and lessons along the way were most excellent. Her story work is so strong, and it pulled me all the way into her experience. I felt the pain right along with Gina, and I understood the points she was trying to make with each story so perfectly. She drew together such key healing strategies, behaviors, identifiers, body responses, and the list goes on and on.”
— Tiffany Wild, CIT, Graduate Student
TWO 1st Place Finishes in the 2022 Independent Press Awards
“I love this book! Generations Deep is affirming in validating at so many levels. Jeana masterfully weaves together a beautiful tapestry of both theology and psychology as she explores the impact of accumulated generational trauma and current life functioning. Trauma that is not transformed is transferred. But healing is possible!”
- Kirby Reuter, PhD. Author of The dialectical Behavioral Therapy Skills Workbook for PTSD. TEDx speaker/presenter
“Gina does a great job unpacking and exploring how the “sins of the father” impact future generations. She expertly weaves together how people’s understanding of themselves, relationships and the world are impacted by both what they overtly learned and experienced from their families, and also how the experiences of earlier generations are passed on to them via the transgenerational epigenetic inheritance process. Her work helps the reader discover how genetic studies, psychological research and Scripture come together to form an integrated understanding of factors contributing to how people become who they are, and how they can begin to repair the injuries they experienced and inherited.”
- Bill Buhrow, Psy.D. President, CAPS International
“Like Gina, I work on generational trauma with my clients and, like Gina, I have had a good share of my own. I was blown away by the wisdom, courage and spiritual depth this book provided. There are so few Christian books that skillfully bridge the psychological and spiritual dimensions of our humanity, and Gina has done just that. She shows both the novice and the experienced seeker of mental and spiritual health a clear pathway to it, navigating through it with such compassion and truth. Generational trauma is something that is not often addressed in therapeutic circles (And it should be!) and not often preached from the pulpit (And it should be!) Thank you, Gina, for bravely sticking your neck out with something so healing and powerful. Such a beautiful collaboration between you and the Holy Spirit!"
- Britta Eskey, Cofounder and codirector of COR
Global Book Award Winner
Generations Deep won four awards in the 2022 Global Book Awards, bringing home two gold medals (in the categories of New Age & Spirituality and Counseling & Psychology), and two silver medals (in the categories of Christian Literature and Spiritual Self-Help).
“Generations Deep is for anyone who has experienced familial dysfunction, secrecy, or trauma and desires to disrupt the perpetuation of intergenerational trauma. Thus, I believe it is for all humans. Counselor Gina Birkemeier deftly uses self-disclosure of her own painful upbringing in a way that draws you in and keeps you reading. If you want to get the most help this book offers, you will need to do the deep work of processing and journaling through your own generational history. Otherwise, this self-help book will inspire you, but it won't actually help you uncover the eye-opening generational patterns that become more visible as you write.”
— Anna LeBaron, Best-selling Author, The Polygamist’s Daughter: A Memoir
Named 2021 NYC Big Book Award Distinguished Favorite in Audio Book Nonfiction category
1st Place in the Christian Indie Book Awards (CIBA) Personal Growth Category
“Grab a warm cup of yum, a pen and some paper and settle in because you’re not going to be able to put this book down! Gina invites you into her own miraculous story in a way that makes you feel you’ve known her your whole life. Yet this journey you’re about to embark on isn’t just about her. It’s about you. It’s about you finding the truth about who you are while inviting you into a powerful journey of healing. This isn’t just another feel good book. It’s filled with Gina’s expertise and her vast knowledge into the world generational studies. Be ready to be changed in beautiful ways.”
— Polly Hamp: Author of Cherished: Shattered Innocence Restored Hope, NLP Practioner, Trauma Recover Coach, International Speaker, Creator of Healing On Purpose (HOP Box), Co-founder: Think Differently Academy, Co-Owner: Think Differently Counseling
“Generations Deep signifies a remarkable work that weaves together the emotional depth of personal story with a clinical understanding of trauma and processes of reflection that offer deep healing for those who dare to contemplate how their stories connect with past generations. As Gina shares and deconstructs the painful connections between her story and past generational experiences of family separation, abuse, and neglect, I was drawn in to grieve, not only her pain, but my own, and to find hope through God’s redemptive presence, including how that presence can be experienced through seeking therapy. I love how Gina does not shy away from sharing profoundly tragic moments while also calling readers, and her younger self, to dare to believe in a God who allows darkness yet never leaves us without light. Thank you, Gina, for this incredible endeavor.”
— Dondra Agovino, MAC, LPC Co-Director Generations Counseling
“This was a great read! Generations Deep helped me to understand better how generational patterns are passed down and how to be intentional about breaking those cycles. Love that it encourages us to look at past generations with grace by understanding their traumatic experiences and how those patterns were passed down to them. Helpful journal prompts and tools/questionnaires for discovering what generational patterns are impacting you personally. Loved it!”
- Christina Reese, PhD Author of Attachment: 60 Trauma-Informed Assessments and Treatment Interventions Across the Lifespan
“I originally read this book with the intention of connecting more deeply with my own story. That absolutely happened but it also touched something in my educator heart. This book gave me an extra measure of compassion in realizing how many of my students who struggle with regulating emotions and behavior are living in chaotic situations created by their grown ups. It also gave me an extra measure of compassion for their parents who are living out their own stories too, and most of the time, really are doing the best they can with what they know..”
— Mandy Koch, Educator
“What a gift this manuscript is to all who read it! Gina strikes an inviting balance between vulnerable self-narrative and evidence based psychoeducation that is rare to find in the literature of our field. This makes it incredibly validating and practical for clients who are caught in a spiral of shame, afraid to hope that the process of change could apply to them. I can definitely envision using particular sections in the process of therapy, as a stand alone group, or to enhance groups on attachment, parenting and trauma.”
— Christi Brandenstein, MAC, LPC, Executive Director, CrossRoads Counseling Centers
“Heartbreaking and redemptive. I appreciate Gina’s integration of story, therapeutic elements and faith- such a difficult task! I also found the reader prompts to be well-placed and helpful in connecting the reader to the content and gently guiding personal exploration. Comprehensive assimilation of so many topics, very simply and accessibly.”
— Erin Karandish, M.D.
Kirkus Reviews: "Birkemeier employs a fast-paced and engagingly straightforward style . . . The end result is an intriguing study of the legacy of emotional baggage, ultimately cast in a tone of optimism . . . "
“Gina deserves applause for penning Generations Deep. I can’t imagine how challenging it would be to write about such intimate and painful experiences for the world’s consumption. Many of the author’s experiences were as tragic as they come, leaving enough emotional and mental scars to last several lifetimes. Still, the grace and finesse with which she wrote this book clearly reflected her status as a talented psychologist . . . I appreciated this symbiosis between faith and therapy because I’ve met too many people who feel that opting for therapy is somehow a denial of their faith.”
- Jachike Samuelson-Online Book Club
“If you’re ready to begin examining your how your past influences your present reactions to every day life, I highly recommend Generations Deep as your guide. Licensed Professional Counselor Gina Birkemeier leads with vulnerability as she unpacks her story and invites you to courageously do the same. You will be drawn to her warmth and wisdom, interspersed with insightful questions for your own self examination that will increase your resilience while strengthening and empowering you on your healing journey. “
- Michelle Watson Canfield, PhD, LPC, Author, Let’s Talk: Conversation Starters for Dads and Daughters, Host, The Dad Whisperer Podcast