Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma and Resilience in First Nations Communities

Amy Bombay (Anishinaabe from Rainy River First Nations) completed her MA (2008) and PhD (2012) at Carleton University in Psychology and Neuroscience and a 2-year CIHR Fellowship at the University of Ottawa Institute of Mental Health Research (2014). In 2014, Amy joined Dalhousie University, being split between the Department of Psychiatry and the School of Nursing. She has led and been involved in various quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-methods projects in collaboration with Indigenous organizations assessing various topics related to health and well-being among Indigenous peoples. Her primary areas of inquiry have focused on exploring the relationships between historical trauma, contemporary stressor exposure, cultural identity, and health outcomes among First Nations adults and youth. One of her main programs of research has explored the different pathways by which Indian Residential School trauma is transmitted across generations, which has garnered extensive media interest and has been influential in influencing policy and practice related to the health of Indigenous peoples.