Jennifer Holik

Sacrifice & Remembrance: Genealogy and Commemoration in American and British Cemeteries & Memorials

How does your family, community, or country honor and remember its war dead? In this program we will explore ways genealogical & military records can help us learn more about our honored war dead and the families left at home. Then discover how the Americans and British preserve the legacies of fallen soldiers and civilians in World War I & II cemeteries. Finally, you are invited to start writing the stories of your family’s veterans and war dead.

Bio

As a young child, I knew I was here to help transform the world. I’ve always been the quiet, weird outsider who observed and stood witness to the silent suffering of humanity. I’m a cosmic intuitive puzzle master, seeing and feeling what lies beyond the veil. This enables me to identify repeating patterns, connect the dots and piece the complex puzzle of our individual and collective stories together. These gifts have allowed me to heal some deep ancestral traumas and end toxic cycles in my family. Guided by my military ancestors, more than 25 years ago, I stepped on the family & military history research trail. That journey allowed me to connect more deeply with my ancestors, spirit guides, angels, and others beyond the veil.I created a genealogy business which quickly transformed into a military research, speaking, and writing business. Explore military research articles, videos, records, resources, and my books at theWWII Research & Writing Center.

By 2015 my healing journey & military work allowed me to live and travel in Europe and create a life both in Chicago and near Amsterdam. I became embedded in Dutch society, life, relationships, healthcare, politics, and culture. For several years I was married to a Dutch man who lived with cancer and other life-threatening health issues. I developed PTSD as I traversed the layers of his health issues in addition to living two different lives on two continents, while facing my own triggers and ancestral patterns.We were so energetically connected, that as I accompanied him on his journey as he moved closer to death, I also faced issues of grief, compassion fatigue, caregiver responsibilities, and how I would survive and thrive after the relationship ended. Identifying the ancestral patterns I was living with him helped me heal and move forward after the relationship ended and he died.

In Europe, I visited battlefields & burial sites, religious & cultural sites, heard family & war stories, some of which brought me to my knees in grief as I channeled the people telling the stories. I understand history, context, and perspectives that many people do not. This makes me unique in the way I can help clients heal on both sides of the ocean to explore their personal and  ancestral family patterns & war trauma. To heal my PTSD and personal and ancestral patterns, I worked with energy healers and studied ancestral lineage healing, energy healing modalities, inherited trauma, grief & loss, and caregiving. It took several years but I came out the other side of PTSD, released many traumatic and toxic family patterns and am thriving. I am excited to help you discover the stories of your ancestors and heal.

November 18, 2023, 11 a.m. Eastern Standard Time