Episode Summary

In this episode of Thrive While Loving an Addict, KL Wells sits down with Dawn Jackson, a nurse, grief recovery specialist, and author, to explore what happens when grief goes unnamed for years. Dawn shares her experience growing up with both a biological father and a stepfather struggling with alcoholism, and how those early environments shaped what felt normal, safe, and familiar.

Through years of personal development work, Dawn searched for something that would reach the deeper layers of her pain. It was not until she encountered grief recovery work that things began to make sense. This conversation gently explores how unresolved grief can sit beneath patterns formed in addiction-impacted families, and what can begin to shift when that grief is acknowledged.

Key Discussion Points

1. Growing up with two father figures affected by alcoholism and how that shaped early patterns
2. How chaos can become familiar, and why calm may feel unfamiliar or uncomfortable
3. Grief as an underlying thread in addiction, abuse, and life transitions
4. The limits of personal growth work when grief remains unprocessed
5. How grief recovery work can offer a different layer of understanding
6. The emotional complexity of setting limits with a parent in active addiction
7. The shift from surviving to building a more stable and grounded life
8. Naming grief as a step toward understanding long-held emotional pain

Some Questions I Ask

1. When do you begin to recognize that patterns may be repeating?
2. What helped you continue searching for something deeper?
3. Was there a moment when you chose to set limits and accept what is?
4. How do you relate to the idea that life may be happening for you rather than to you?
5. Who are you now on the other side of this healing work?

In This Episode, You Will Learn

1. How unresolved grief can influence patterns developed in childhood
2. Why calm and stability can sometimes feel unfamiliar after growing up in chaos
3. The difference between ongoing personal growth and addressing grief directly
4. Why setting limits with a loved one in addiction can feel painful regardless of the choice
5. How naming grief can bring clarity to long-standing emotional experiences
6. Why healing yourself is not abandonment, but an honest response to a complex situation

Resources

Journey to Peace and Healing by Dawn Jackson

Journey to Self Discovery: 100 Days of Soulful Reflections by Dawn Jackson

Free guide: Unburdening Your Heart: Transforming the Beliefs Stealing Your Joy

https://www.dawnmichelejackson.com/unburdening-your-heart-gift

Learn more about Dawn Jackson

https://www.dawnmichelejackson.com

Connect on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/dawnmichelejackson

Connect on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-michele-jackson/