There is an incredible book The Survivors. A Story of War, Inheritance, and Healing by Adam P. Frankel. I picked this book up to attempt to find another book I could use in my master class on war, inherited trauma, and healing. This book gave me a completely different view of healing than others I've read.

Whether you are from a family of Holocaust Survivors or not, the themes in this book speak to many of us. As Frankel tells his story we learn about identity, family secrets, family patterns, loyalty, grief & loss, survival, sexual secrets, mental illness, PTSD, shame, anger, familial behavior, and so many other themes associated with war, survival, the physical manifestations of keeping secrets, inherited trauma, and how we each have to choose our own path regardless of our family's choices. We also learn how his Jewish family, who survived the Holocaust, felt about loyalty and looking the other way on family secrets.

If you were to look at my copy of this book, you would...

I'm a bit early on this week's video and was late on last week's, which you can watch on our page or YouTube or website, but things are shifting. I've been in a space I've had trouble verbalizing things or shifting out of - but know I'm on the edge of a cliff and it is time to jump. Time to drop the old stories and bless and forgive the patterns that have been - they no longer need to BE.

Time to move into this next phase with no fear. But honestly I'm scared. Even in my dreams things are showing up.

Fear isn't real but lately it feels real. Part of me is scared to be excited about much or know that things are getting better. Scared to believe anything better is possible. Deep in my soul though, I know it is. However when you think what you feel will not be understood by those closest to you - it makes it hard to be vulnerable and share.

I've done a lot of journaling the last week on many topics - dumping it all out of me. Looking for things to pivot on and be grateful for.

My...

The last week has had its ups and downs as I prepare to head back to Europe to be with my husband. I fell back into an energetic pattern of which I have been aware and done nothing to shift. Well last night, my body said END IT! Learn what I'm doing to shift out of this pattern in the video.

What energetic patterns are you aware of that need to shift so you can take better care of yourself and create your life?

© 2019 Jennifer Holik Finding the Answers Journey

Last year I was approached by a teacher in Vietnam named Ngoc Diệu Nguyễn who was creating a program to share on Microsoft Education called War Stories.   Nguyễn was planning to bring healing to students, veterans of both sides of the Vietnam war, and the world through her program. I was happy to participate because helping the world heal from war is one of my missions.

Program Description from the website:

This collaborative project aims at sparking understanding, empathy, compassion and spreading peace by giving students the chance to talk to veterans, their family members and then share the untold frontline and home front stories with the world.

It is widely accepted that 'History is written by the victors' (Winston Churchill). So how much do we really know about history? This collaboration will open students’ eyes and hearts to the connections historically and emotionally shared between the Vietnamese and Americans or among people directly and indirectly...

At some point in our lives, we are all caregivers. For some it is a short period of time where it might be an intense experience. For others it is a long, often excruciating time of uncertainty, grief, anger, and sadness mixed with elation, answers, joy, and closure.

At Finding the Answers Journey we are creating new resources for caregivers and are dedicated to helping you uncover this within your family history and your own history. We have the tools to help you write your story and find closure.

If you would like to schedule a free consult to discuss a research or writing project, please contact us today.

© 2018 Jennifer Holik

We all have a story inside of us. Usually more than one.

As I write this I am sitting in an Amsterdam hospital while my husband receives treatment. We will be here all day and several more days this week. To pass my time while he sleeps I am writing in my journal with my beloved fountain pens.

I am trying to Find the Answers to my life.  

Have you stopped to consider how often we try to Find the Answers to our ancestor’s lives, yet we do not often stop to find them for our own? You could say I’ve been seeking them my entire life. The journey really became more challenging and emotional several years ago when I fully embraced the questions in my life and purposefully and consciously started to Find the Answers.

That journey led me to Europe and more specifically, the Netherlands. Little did I know the life I would create here, with all its joys and struggles, would help me Find the Answers to so many pieces of my life and the past.

I do a lot of journaling and have...