Today we’d like to introduce you to Jessica Graham.
Hi Jessica, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Since we last connected, I’ve shifted my work primarily to trauma and grief resolution. I continue to work with individuals and couples in the realms of sex, relationship, spirituality, and meditation, but have found that for many people post-traumatic growth is necessary for thriving in any realm of life. I do all my sessions virtually and see people internationally.
My own personal journey made it clear to me that recovery and thriving after trauma are possible. I’ve now supported and witnessed many others transform their past pain, and go on to lead lives with more joy, freedom, and love. It’s incredibly rewarding to work.
I also continue to work creatively as an actor, filmmaker, and model. In 2020, The Tangle, an award-winning sci-fi feature film I produced and acted in was released on streaming platforms. In 2021, Into Light, a short biopic about suffragist Inez Milholland, which I directed, became available to stream on Amazon after a successful festival run.
I’m currently in post-production for another short film I directed which is focused on the journey of grief. An episodic called The Hunter, which I acted in, was also released in 2021. That project was very close to my heart and explored themes of love, grief, longing, and spirituality. I like to find projects that delve into themes that align with my other work and have been lucky enough to work with some wonderful artists.
I’ve been acting and otherwise expressing myself creatively since I was quite young. It’s always been incredibly important for me to have a creative outlet, even if it’s just an acting class. This is part of my self-care and what gives me the fuel and spark to walk with others through their pain and suffering in my coaching work. I also just find. creating art is so much fun and I think having fun is a big part of being human!
In the time since our last interview, a lot has changed for me! My relationship of 11 years ended, I got a tiny scruffy dog, I was diagnosed with ADHD, and I embraced the pronouns she/they. All of this has added to the person I show up as in the work I do as a guide and as an artist
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Up until a little over a year ago, I had no idea how much ADHD was impacting my life. While my self-love/compassion game was strong, there was always a voiceless churning of “You are not doing enough. You are not enough” under the surface. The fact that things like paperwork, deadlines, listening to directions to a board game, or being on time took a huge amount of effort, just added to that churning. I thought if I meditated enough, did enough trauma work, or was just “better,” I’d be able to do things like other people. I had also been masking aspects of my personality for many years, without even knowing it. When a skilled and thoughtful doctor diagnosed me with ADHD, so many things made sense.
I looked back to early childhood and realized that I exhibited classic ADHD traits and that I had busted my butt to figure out how to live in a world that wasn’t built for those of us who are neurodivergent. I’m proud of how far I came before the diagnosis, and so grateful for the no longer having that feeling of “not enough.” I’ve been able to treat my ADHD and work with a coach who specializes in it. This discovery about myself has led me to be of great service to my neurodivergent clients too. I know that some say, “aren’t we all a little ADHD,” but I disagree. Here’s just one reason why. The first time I took my medication I felt like I do when I have the time to meditate for 2 hours a day, or how I feel after a 2 week meditation retreat. Now, if I could always meditate that much or go on retreat once a month, perhaps I would, but in the meantime, I am 100% shameless in using medication to support my happiness and well-being.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Along with authoring the book Good Sex: Getting Off without Checking Out, I’m known as a trauma-resolution guide and meditation teacher. who is also very much an artist who love to spend time their making art.
I started trying to address the emotional pain of my childhood when I was just a teenager, but it wasn’t until I focused my efforts on resolving my C-PTSD that things really began to change. My post-traumatic growth is hands down what I’m most proud of.
I’ve found that I love working with creatives, CEO, executives, coaches, and mental healthcare professionals. Folks who have worked hard and tried many modalities, but haven’t yet gotten to the root of what holds them back. I know what it’s like to have areas of success but feel like there is a ceiling of psychological pain keeping you from really thriving. I also know that those of us who have done a lot of deep work requires expert space holding. Especially if we are holding space for others on a regular basis. It’s such a true privilege and pleasure to be able to offer that.
I also have a fair number of neurodivergent non-binary/gender non-conforming, LGBTQIA+, and sex-positive clients. These are intersections that fall into my scope of practice and I find that I really love working with these communities.
What do you think about happiness?
My dog Jake makes me very, very happy. He is a 9-year-old scruffy 6lb terrier mix who I adopted during quarantine.
I had no idea how much happiness a dog would bring into my life. He is one of the best things to ever happen to me.
My niece and nephews also bring a huge amount of joy into my life. While I would have liked to have my own kids, I didn’t, and so I get to pour all that love in to these kids. I recently went to Universal Studios with them and their smiles and squeals of delight are still filling me with happiness!
Doing nothing also makes me really happy. Just wide open, unstructured time. Even better if there is some beautiful nature nearby.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.yourwildawakening.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicaclarkgraham/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grahamjessica
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/deconstructjg
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQKTl93E8vGizFQEOJ2J2DA?app=desktop
Image Credits
Lumiere Photo, Dave Garrett Sarrafian, Gershon Kreimer, and Alexander P. Gutterman
