Book Review: Break the Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué
If you’re on a healing journey and looking for a powerful book on intergenerational trauma, Break the Cycle by Dr. Mariel Buqué is a book you should not sleep on. As a Latina therapist, I found her words both educational and deeply validating; especially as she speaks from her lived experience as a Dominican-American woman navigating trauma, identity, and cultural healing.
Why Break the Cycle Stands Out
Dr. Buqué blends clinical expertise with personal storytelling, offering a unique and accessible lens on trauma-informed care, ancestral healing, and mental health in BIPOC communities. What I appreciated most was her honesty. She shares her own journey of recognizing and interrupting patterns of generational pain with a voice that feels compassionate and grounded.
Neurobiology Meets Ancestral Wisdom
One of the most impactful parts of Break the Cycle is the way it bridges neurobiology and cultural practices. Dr. Buqué breaks down how trauma is stored in the body and how the nervous system plays a role in emotional healing. At the same time, she affirms that healing is not limited to Western models; it’s also found in ancestral rituals, community, and connection to our roots.
This felt especially important as someone who works with clients from Latinx and immigrant communities, where traditional healing practices are often overlooked or misunderstood in mainstream therapy settings.
A Culturally Affirming Guide for First-Gen and BIPOC Readers
For first-generation individuals, people of color, and anyone navigating the impact of family systems and cultural identity, Break the Cycle offers gentle guidance and hope. Dr. Buqué invites readers to reflect, to reconnect with their bodies, and to remember that resilience is inherited too; not just trauma.
Final Thoughts
If you're a therapist, a wellness practitioner, or someone working to heal your own family patterns, I highly recommend Break the Cycle. It’s a powerful reminder that healing is both science and spirit, and that we don’t have to do it alone.
Key Takeaways from Break the Cycle:
Trauma can be inherited but so can resilience
The nervous system plays a central role in healing
Ancestral healing practices are valid and valuable
Cultural identity matters in mental health care
This book is a beautiful companion for anyone seeking to reclaim their story, reconnect with their roots, and truly begin to break the cycle.
De aquí y de allá,
Elsa Matsumoto, LCSW, PMH-C
