A passionate, driven, career-oriented, workaholic and recovering perfectionist learning to practice skills that promote and prioritize my health and wellness.

I’m a proud mother of 2 adult children, wife to Dale, co-owner of Dale’s Plumbing Ltd., Educator, Teacher-Leader, woman of faith, and was between 2019-2023 my dear mother’s care partner as she struggled with frontal temporal dementia. I simultaneously struggled to manage it all during this 7-year period as I experienced complex physical health challenges including: neurological abnormal EEG’s, cognitive decline, and myoclonic jerks, and an increasing frequency of what I now know where functional non-epileptic seizures in 2021.

Childhood strategies, which had served me well, were no longer functional and my body kept score of traumatic incidents, losses, and grief. Through the last three years of this seven-year period I participated in the BC Brain Health & Wellness Program between 2019-2022. Only, when I was completely incapacitated with daily seizures, experienced central apnea as my brain forgot to tell my body to breathe and was unable to walk for more than 10 minutes without a seizure, did I get answers.

Through 7 years of comprehensive medical investigations as medical experts and specialists considered every biological possibility for the complex symptoms I experienced I was eventually diagnosed with Functional Neurologic Disorder, in February 2021, at the Seizures Investigation Unit at Vancouver General Hospital.

This confident, perfectionist was brought to my knees by unresolved loss and grief. Finally, with the clarity of a diagnosis I knew it was time to reach out, call out and pray for help, supports I knew I was worthy to receive and greatly needed. I surrendered to my imperfection, aimed to get comfortable in my own skin and write, record, and share my story.

Now, on the road to wellbeing, I’m back to work as an educational leader, school counsellor, mental health advocate, and author of the newly released book:

FiNDing Hope: The Mind-Body Connection & Importance of Being Seen and Heard,

Stone Tiger Books, New York, Available on Amazon

Oct.20.2023.

I continue to live with FND, although am not defined by it. I choose to speak up and spark transparent conversations about mental health, and to write, paint, and create to discharge the tough stuff. I’m delighted to return and collaborate with many of the instructors I previously appreciated and still value, with the BC Brain Health and Wellness program in the upcoming term. I’m honoured to invite you to participate and write alongside me. Together we’re stronger, and writing can spark joy.

· Mental Health Advocate & Creator of: FNDingHope.com, in support of individuals struggling with undiagnosed, unexpected functional symptoms, or FND.

· Author of FiNDing Hope: The Mind-Body Connection & Importance of Being Seen and Heard,

· Adlerian School Counsellor, Comox Valley Schools.

Contact at: jbystromwriter@shaw.ca