Customer Reviews

Mother, Heal My Self: An Intergenerational Healing Journey Between Two Worlds

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This work is a fascinating, compelling read. A personal exploration of familial generational issues around pregnancy, childbirth and maternal death presents a disturbing pattern. When the writer's daughter has multiple physical problems during her pregnancies and childbirth, the familial archetype raises its ugly head. Struggling to find an approach which would interrupt the disturbing historical family pattern in pregnancy, childbirth and maternal death, becomes a complex journey for mother and daughter. When the daughter begins to experience the troubling symptoms, so prevalent in this family, the author, finds the interventions of the scientific community are ineffective. As the journey unfolds the disturbing model from the intergenerational history becomes the compelling force to seek support from traditional healing. Here the mother and daughter experience caring, sympathetic and knowledgeable support in traditinal healing practices. Written in a clear and concise manner this wrok describes the trial of a mother and daughter as the family pattern of maternal death is confronted. Likewise, the tension and support of traditional and scientific medicine are shared from both personal and family perspectives.

This is a must read not only for nurses, healthcare providers, or women. It depicts a healing journey of a "People" individuals, families, communities and respect for others' cultures. Yes, it is written by a woman who is a nurse and mother, but it involves everyone within her immense and multiple spheres of influences, which makes it relevant and valuable for all who are on a quest for deep healing.

This is a great book and a powerful message. It is a must read for everyone associated with health care.

This book is a wonderful exploration of intergenerational caring and the power of the mother daughter relationship. Willing to do anything to save the life of her daughter, the author, who is herself a well known registered nurse, explores the depths of native american medicine and its healing powers. This is a wonderful book, I have given it as a gift to all the important women in my life.

JoEllen Koerner's work is a must read for all those who seek to understand life, family, and intergenerational issues from a unique and vital perspective. The story of JoEllen and her daughter set within the context of the generational history, and the alternative healing work of the Native Americans is compelling. I have read it twice and will read it again. I would also recommend this book to people in healthcare that are not satisfied with just the medical model of care. Fascinating concepts to consider.

Great message and great book! I met the author during one of my classes and she is a genuine and caring individual.

This book provides a powerful message, so much so, in fact, that I bought a second copy just so I could share it with friends. The line dividing western medical practices and those based in nature (Eastern, Native American, etc), is becoming more and more blurred. This book may help open the reader's mind to techniques beyond those that our practitioners provide.

This is an extraordinary book about a conventional nurse executive who is led by her work, her family and her destiny to explore Native American healing to heal her daughter and her family history of traumas around birth in five generations.

In the course of her work in the Sioux Valley Hospital in South Dakota, she met and befriended Wanigi Waci (Spirit Dancer), a Native American healer of the Lakota Sioux who was ministering to patients served by her hospital. Wanigi Waci offered classes to the hospital staff in cultural sensitivity, to help the conventional medical personnel appreciate the traditional ways of healing of his people.

Koerner's daughter, Kristi, nearly died in birthing her first child, requiring an emergency caesarian section. Her son nearly died of an infection due to the prolonged labor. He had repeated hospitalizations for respiratory infections during his first six months. Kristi's second pregnancy was marked by diabetes, hypertension, toxemia and preeclampsia. In both childbirths, Wanigi Waci was present, unbidden, and enormously helpful with his Native American healing treatments.

Koerner went on to study and participate in the healing ceremonies of the Sioux. She shares from her many lessons of the heart and spirit, in a book that is hard to put down.

Koerner is clearly gifted as a nurse and as a teacher of the essence of nursing. She shares many insights around conventional and Native American healing.

Koerner's integrity as a healer who walks her talk is evident in the stories she shares about her healing journeys. What she writes of others is also true of herself.

Hopefully, Koerner's pioneering work with Wanigi Waci will open more nurses and hospitals to healing collaborations and spiritual lessons.

This outstanding book should push back the horizon for every nurse dealing with persons of differing faiths, healing modalities and cultures. It may help to eliminate bias and lack of information regarding self healing. It should be useful to both the healing professions as well as the general public. I caution the reader against drawing any personal conclusions about the author's content until the entire book has been read for the content is a complicated mix of biography and theory.

This book is packed with powerful learnings, and opportunities for deep and meaningful understanding. This rare and inspirational glimpse into the real life "earthly journey" of JoEllen and her family serves as a guide for others who yearn for wholeness and healing that spans generations. Reading it once is not enough. My copy is worn and tattered from use, as I write in the margains and underline the many passages that seem to speak directly to me. I believe that God the Creator sends us help in many forms, and this is one of them.