Jamie Wehmeyer ~ Finding Meaning After Loss

In this episode, hosts Theresa and Walker sit down with Jamie Wehmeyer, a resilient individual who shares her profound journey of navigating life after the tragic loss of her son, Jake, and then confronting her own health battles.

Join us as Jamie opens up about the complexities of finding joy and maintaining authenticity amidst overwhelming grief.

She emphasizes the importance of trusting one's intuition, acknowledging fears, and seeking support from loved ones. Jamie also reflects on the physical and emotional toll of trauma, the challenging upcoming parole hearing for Jake's killer, and her continuous journey towards self-discovery and healing.

Together, they'll discuss Jamie's recommended books that influence her understanding of grief and trauma, and how daily practices like breathing exercises and writing have become pillars of her recovery. This heartfelt episode delves into the unique grief processes within close relationships, highlighting the importance of mutual support, professional guidance, and the courage to ask for help.

Tune in for a deeply moving conversation that will inspire you to embrace your inner knowing and navigate life's trials with authenticity and grace.

Jamie is the Clinical Director for The Battle Within, a non-profit dedicated to helping Veterans, First Responders, and Frontline Medical Staff begin healing from the traumatic injuries they’ve experienced. In addition, she is the owner of Jamie Wehmeyer, LLC, where she conducts seminars, trainings, and consultations on trauma, traumatic loss, trauma-informed practices, and resilience.  Jamie is a TEDx speaker, having shared her story and how to reframe traumatic loss. Before her current work, Jamie spent 25 years working in community mental health centers, most of that time in management roles.   

Throughout her career, she has studied the impact trauma has on health and wellness.  Trauma Informed Practices provide a clear lens for her work in helping individuals heal from trauma. Personal trauma and experience with various systems, including the courts and schools, have increased her passion for seeing Trauma Informed Care and resiliency being embraced throughout communities and organizations.  Jamie received her Master’s in Social Work from the University of Kansas and is a Licensed Clinical Social worker.

00:00 Tragic loss empowered and changed her life.

05:52 Striving to find joy amidst pain and fear.

07:59 Overcame discomfort by intentionally doing fire walk.

10:52 Struggle to ask for support after loss.

14:28 Trauma surfaced, felt in body, written about.

17:01 Embracing authenticity, refusing to be silenced.

21:02 Reflecting on impact and conveying authenticity in communication.

26:02 Grieving individual finds comfort in friends' support.

29:26 Advocating for sharing love and memories openly.

30:54 Received a text during road trip, ignored.

36:41 Navigating different grief, personalities in relationship.

38:42 Grateful for prior learning aiding trauma recovery.

43:07 Eight years ago, I was inauthentic, now changed.

46:23 Struggling with meditation, finding solace in writing.

48:27 Kessler challenges linear grief stages, advocates individual approach.

51:03 Walker asks about stack of upcoming guest books.