Many thanks to , , , , and so many of you for joining us today. It’s always good to see you, and I especially appreciated your comments and questions as carried the discussion across national borders.
As family storytellers, we are often tempted to focus on celebratory or heroic narratives while overlooking the difficult and painful episodes. These harrowing experiences can be the most important ones to remember and share. Our speaker today,
of , has felt called to this work. In today’s program, she shared her stories as well as her strategies.After years of writing books and researching for clients, Jennifer has developed a specialized insight into inherited trauma, war trauma, and personal and ancestral healing. We were riveted by the stories she shared about her journey and the insights she learned along the way.
During her talk, Jennifer referenced several powerful stories you’ll find on the WWII Research & Writing Center (wwiirwc.com):
Joseph Kilian - A Family’s Grief & the Cost of WWII Repatriation
Frank Knaus - A Family’s Mental Health
Vittohl Seder - She Powerfully Spoke Her Truth
Bernard Tom - Should I Repatriate the Remains of My Son Bernie Tom?
Charles Walby - Women’s History Month: A Military Mother
Among them are also guides that might help you in your work:
Exploring the Mentally Destructive Side of War – Downey VA Hospital
Protecting the Emotional Health of an 82nd Airborne MP’s Parents
Jennifer also shared a Military Service Questionnaire that can help you prepare and organize research before launching into formal requests for your ancestor’s military records.
You can also find Jennifer’s work at her Ancestral Souls Wisdom School (ancestralsoulswisdomschool.com)
In the discussion, we also explored the repatriation of war dead and the differing policies in the UK and the United States. The reasons why individual families may choose not to repatriate remains, even when they have the opportunity, were sometimes heartbreaking. Jennifer shared these two resources to learn more:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission (www.cwgc.org)
The American Battle Monuments Commission (www.abmc.gov)
Finally, Jennifer underscored the significance and impact of grief and compassion fatigue. This is the TEDx talk she referenced.
You are welcome to share this post with friends and family. Jennifer has generously allowed us to share this recording and resources with our Projectkin community at no cost.
Share this post