Community Highlights: Meet Jennifer Dickenson of Jennifer Dickenson/We Can Heal

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Dickenson.

Hi Jennifer , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
About 15 years ago I was a busy lawyer and co-owner of my firm. It was the largest female owned real estate law firm in the southeast. But, I was experiencing a lot of stress managing the firm. Then I got very sick. I was diagnosed with a deadly illness, brain cancer, grade 4, glioblastoma. I was only 44 at that time. Shocked and saddened. The statistics regarding this disease are daunting. 95% of those diagnosed would pass within 12-18 month, and the rest would expect to perish within 5 years. Although the official prognoses was not good at all, I made some important decisions early on. One was that the doctors and the statistics don’t know who I am and what is possible in me regarding my ability to heal this. Secondly, I concluded that if one person out there has survived this, my can’t I survive this too. Third, I thought of my own experience over my lifetime where I had cuts and bruises, even a couple of broken bones, and all of those things healed naturally. These ideas led me to take control of my healing. My new job would be for me to learn how to heal myself in addition to the traditional medicine planned for me
(surgery, radiation, chemotherapy). Being open to this new path, with no book I could follow, I organically began to learn how to heal myself. It involved my body, my spirit and my soul. And it worked! 3 years later I began helping other people who were dealing with illness. But people who were not sick were also very interested in what I was teaching. So I got even more referrals. I ultimately wrote the book I wished I had had when I got sick and it has been a great tool for others to learn the healing tools for themselves. Now I share this information to all kinds of people through social media, public speaking events, and podcasts. It is a gift for me to be here and support others in their quest for wellness.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
No! There are 2 parts of my response. One- when I was in the thick of my illness, I was naturally worried that I would not beat the illness-especially because my doctors kept saying I couldn’t beat it. But I knew a man who had beat it and that was my north star. So here- the most important thing for me was to keep positive, and remind myself that the doctors don’t have the corner on the market regarding my health. I had several times where the doctors’ words would knock me down phycological and I would have to get their negativity and lack for creativity out of my mind so I could continue the good works I was doing to heal myself. So- struggling with a supportive mindset versus a defeated one was critical and also hard.
Two- When I decided to write my book ” The Case for Hope”, I was not sure I could do it although I knew it would help lots of people. My biggest challenge was that the location of the brain cancer damaged my ability to read quickly. I also had some other cognitive issues as a result of the cancer. I wanted to write the book as the lawyer and specialist I had been trained to be but now I had these new challenges with writing and reading. I was not sure I could do it. It took me about 5 years to write it. When I was halfway through it, I considered quitting because it took me so much time but I kept focusing on the people who needed the information and I kept going on until it was finished and it was good.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
My original professional life and career was as a high energy, successful transactional lawyer and business owner. In addition to my legal practice, I did a lot of public speaking concerning legal matters.

Now my focus and passion has shifted as a result of my health journey. I am an author, cancer survivor and wellness advocate and I do a lot of public speaking events and podcasts sharing inspiration, and the healing tools available to anyone. I love this work because it is so satisfying to see the “light bulbs” go on when I am speaking to groups about healing. I love the responses from others who have read my book (and apply it for themselves) or hear one of my speeches or podcast because this information can make profound changes in peoples’ lives.

I feel like a happy warrior who was given a second chance on life and this time, doing it better and in the service of a bigger calling, showing others what is possible for themselves. I feel that this well know phrase “for those who have been given much, much is required” applies to me perfectly.

One of the things that distinguishes me from others is that- there aren’t that many glioblastoma survivors of 15 years since the odds are so poor, Add on the fact that I was able to write a powerful inspiriting book filled with tools anyone can use, and speak at groups about perspective, the process of making changes in one’s life, and healing using mind, body and spirit. I am a bit of a unicorn.
Another difference is my focus on teaching others how to expand their mind and spirit towards healing. This is an understated aspect of healing and it is critical. Focusing on clean food, quality sleep, and exercise (the body) is also very important but, for most, an obvious choice if you are looking to heal or improve your health.

I am most excited about my book The Case for Hope ( What I Learned on My Journey from Cancer to Wellness: We Can Heal) by Jennifer Laguzza Dickenson ( Amazon etc and also my website www.JenniferDickenson.com). That is a fan favorite and many people who buy it for themselves, end up buying multiple copies for others. I have just launched my “Box of Hope” which is a beautiful gift for those fighting illness, or those just needing a lift! The Box of Hope is a lovely white box filled with supportive healing items inside that will encourage any recipient to understand how deeply loved they really are. I am selling this at events right now but plan to have it on my website later this year.

I would like the readers to know that: what I teach and the products I have to sell, are all built to empower you along your personal journey.

Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Simple things mostly. The sun on my face. My family. Listening to music. Laughing! Using my healing tools, like Qigong, exercise, spending time in nature, breathing techniques etc. These things help balance me and they give me space to be myself, create flow in my life, and understand what I need for myself. Such rich gifts!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.JenniferDickenson.com
• Instagram: JenniferLDickenson
• Facebook: Jennifer.DickensonWrites
• LinkedIn: Jennifer-Dickenson

Image Credits
Katya Vilchyk