Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective Trauma

by Richard Schwartz PhD, Richard Schwartz

Acclaimed authors Richard Schwartz and Thomas Hübl teach us how healing trauma can empower us to reclaim resilience and transform our world.

Too often, we assume that our trauma is an individual wound, and that we can only heal it through individual work. In truth, our trauma is shaped by so much more than our own experience—we’re impacted by ancestral trauma from previous generations as well as collective trauma from the world around us. Beloved teachers Thomas Hübl and Richard Schwartz bring together their wisdom to chart a new path forward that addresses all of these sources of pain, so we can heal ourselves and also our communities and world.

In this powerful collaboration, Hübl and Schwartz help us understand why individual trauma cannot be separated from the legacies of shared past and present traumas. Each author offers an overview of their healing modality and how they work together. Schwartz is the creator of Internal Family Systems, a highly effective, evidence-based therapeutic approach that teaches we all contain many parts—and also have an undamaged, healing Self. Hübl has done powerful work on trauma healing, particularly collectively and in groups.

Together, they teach methods and practices that help us begin to release beliefs and emotions that no longer serve us, break cycles of harm, expand our awareness, and become more compassionate and curious as we heal. Through this work, Hübl shares, “we can unload the burden and create a more flourishing world.”

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology, Self Help, Health, Mental Health, Education, Social Work

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 2, 2025

Reviews

[Kathy Jiang · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pages 67-71 dedicated to whitewashing the colonising of Palestine by Israel. Absolutely rich considering the book talks about how colonisation can exile groups of people. What about the Palestinians?

Very underhanded to follow up the pro-Israel chapter with a chapter from a black Muslim practitioner. Way to whitewash.

IFS is not a bad framework, but it feels tainted by American-Zionist bigotry.

Update the book acknowledging that Israel is a settler colonial project and I will rethink my rating.

[Taylor Alexis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Such mixed feelings about this book. I want to highlight other comments about Fatimah Finney not being acknowledged as a co-author. I don’t think a book about ancestral trauma should be written by a cis-het white man, at all. There were a lot of aspects not helpful for those who are not religious. Not to mention, the worst part for me was referring to the genocide in Gaza as “conflict” - WHILE MENTIONING SETTLER COLONIALISM AND ETHNIC CLEANSING EARLIER. Soooo problematic. Not okay at all. Newer editions of the book should not highlight a Zionist’s views. There was a lot missing about race except for in Fatimah’s chapter.

[Stephan Walter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Valuable collective content, missed opportunity to model it in layout of book

As a white male I enjoyed the book over all and found it to have a lot of helpful information throughout on trauma, legacy burdens and the collective. I had difficulty at times tracking the two different theoretical mindsets of the main authors who were in dialogue in this book. More editing and clarity was needed there. The chapter on legacy burdens was really great and I appreciated the vulnerability of Dick Schwartz around legacy burdens. I couldn’t help wonder why these two men didn’t include more of the collective’s resources and give credit to other voices out there in the larger collective. Voices that would bring balance to what feels like and over emphasis on the two individuals who authored this. For example, a bibliography and references to other sources and resources would have shown the collective emphasis in action. The exception to this was Fatimah Finney’s chapter on Racism, Social Location and Trauma. A gem in the middle of this book. I would like to see her name more prominent on the cover and to possibly interweave some of her thought throughout the book to show that communal listening and dialogue. Overall, worth the read or listen, but more attention and time could have been spent to make this a much more valuable resource than what it modeled in its layout. Perhaps, some of the legacy burdens of materialism, hyper-individualism, patriarchy wanted to exert influence on this book as well.

[Ethan · Rating 4 out of 5]

There has been a lot of good and needed focus on trauma: what it is, where it might come from, how it displays itself, and if and how it might be healed.

Drs. Richard Schwartz and Thomas Hübl add some contributions to this field in Releasing Our Burdens: A Guide to Healing Individual, Ancestral, and Collective Trauma (galley received as part of early review program).

The authors do spend some time explaining things regarding trauma, but much of the book is designed to encourage understanding of how just as individuals are not out their on their own, but are part of family, cultural, etc. systems, so trauma and healing from trauma will not be only managed on an individual level, but also must account for these additional systems at play. And there are the kinds of trauma that can come from these other sources as well. The authors describe various means by which people can address these various sources of trauma and types of trauma and find some levels of healing from what they have experienced or what they maintain in their bodies.

The authors will present their explanations and also offer model therapy conversations/sessions and encouragement regarding best practices in each domain. While the lay person may gain some benefits from the presentations by the authors, the formats and presentations will be more amenable to those in the world of therapy and psychology.

[hope · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book illustrates what trauma healing looks like when the best therapists at the top of their game are doing their finest work. This book is a masterclass, and the premise of this book makes sense: true healing addresses not just the individual in isolation but the generations of familial and collective trauma that the individual carries by addressing painful legacy burdens. Illuminating, deeply moving, and heartfelt, this book lands in all the right ways. What the world would be if all our mothers and fathers and all of us did this kind of brave, exciting, truly exquisite work.

All the therapists featured in this book are excellent (Richard Schwartz, Fatimah Finney, Thomas Hubl). This book is for everyone, but I wanted to highlight something for therapists reading this book. Thomas Hubl’s level of presence is so next level. Please read his transcript. I felt something shift/heal in me just reading his words. His description of dissociation and his way of dealing with trauma were spot on.

Overall, for me, this book, more than anything, felt hopeful. I feel I am walking away feeling an abundance of hope and feeling reenergized in all the best ways.

[Em · Rating 4 out of 5]

I requested a digital ARC of "Releasing Our Burdens" from NetGalley because of the topic, the authors’ credible backgrounds in trauma work, and its publication by Sounds True, a company whose books I’ve consistently found thoughtful and helpful.

The book integrates Richard Schwartz’s Internal Family Systems (IFS) model with Thomas Hübl’s work on collective and intergenerational trauma. The central idea—that emotional burdens are shaped not only by personal experience but also by family systems and historical forces—felt timely and meaningful. I appreciated the clear explanation of IFS before the discussion expands to collective healing.

This is a dense, reflective read rather than a practical how-to, but its emphasis on presence, curiosity, and compassion stood out. It will most appeal to readers already interested in trauma-informed work, spirituality, or personal growth.

Many thanks to NetGalley, Sounds True, and the authors for providing a digital ARC to read and review.

[Heiki Eesmaa · Rating 3 out of 5]

10-15 years ago I was pretty involved with Family Constellations, from which some of Thomas Hübl's collective healing ideas come from, and have had a few sessions of IFS. So that background set some of the expectations for me. I imagined there would be some conceptual integration.

Well both of the authors prefer quite simple concepts actually so what there is are some pretty low-key ideas how to start from parts and release their burdens (a very fitting metaphorical term for any persistent emotions they have) with a view that some of them might be transgenerational as well as cultural. A chapter about racism for example.

It's a quite disjointed book but I suppose if one brings oneself totally into it, it sort of comes together. As other reviewers have pointed, the transcripts are what's good about the book. I also liked finding some of my own ideas and experiences validated.

[Adam Arsenault · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Remember that Self-energy is contagious. The more Self-energy we can bring into our relationships and interactions with the world, the better. When we begin to understand that everything is interdependent, we naturally gravitate toward an integrated approach to healing. We no longer feel as interested in bypassing any of our experiences, and we understand that our health and the health of the world are intertwined. We are not isolated beings living atop a dead planet; we are the planet. Conceiving of ourselves as separate from the greater biosphere has led to tremendous harm to ourselves, others, and the planet all of us comprise and share. Ideally, our spiritual practices work to heal this unnatural split."

[Kasia Hubbard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Schwartz and Thomas Hubl team up with this edition of Releasing our Burdens, filled with updated information from IFS models as well as new techniques on healing our individual, ancesral, and collective traumas. While reading this, it's very clear and easy to grasp what the authors are explaining to us. What is also clear is that not everything shared will apply equally across the board to everyone who reads this. I would suggest take in what helps you, but also try to understand what may not necessarily apply directly to you, as a way of understanding those around you. Informative, instructive, easy to absorb and follow. Highly recommend!
*I received a copy of this book from NetGalley. This review is my own opinion*

[Caroline Ruderman · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the second IFS book I've read by Richard Schwartz, the other being No Bad Parts. I feel like this book was a beautiful extension from doing the foundation into ancestral wounds, collective trauma, and they even move into how to process death/dying at the end. This was a really beautiful book. There was a section on our racist parts, which as a white woman, I noticed the resistant parts coming up right away! The ancestors grumbled their way through the legacy burdens chapter too.

I really love Dick Schwartz's work. I can feel the heart that he brings into his writing. If you have the option, check out the audio book which is a nice guide for the practice parts!

[Lindsay Dobbs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Audiobook**

Short and quick. I like the IFS method and find it interesting. If you’ve read any of the author’s other books then this book a bit redundant. I think the best contribution was having Fatimah Finney speak on collective and racial trauma. I did appreciate the notes on systemic and societal issues such as capitalism, hyper-individualism, racism, and poverty + the roles they play in affecting the psyche.

[M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ir was a good read.

[Loulou · Rating 4 out of 5]

The ancestral trauma section hit extremely hard for me. Very useful with many great ideas for healing.

[Hayley Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mixed bag for me. Lots that I connected with and really appreciated. Some felt a bit too woo-woo.

[Lauren Love · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really beautiful book for anyone into parts work. Covers so many different macro levels of the approach of parts work for the world but also within ourselves

[Bonnie Connell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved No Bad Parts and I REALLY wanted to like this one. It had so many good ideas that just weren’t fleshed in any meaningful way that I could apply.