Chapter Break with Jaqueline Redmer

Bio: Jackie Redmer is a family medicine physician who practices geriatrics and palliative care in the Driftless Region of Southwest Wisconsin. She is also the mother of three school-aged daughters.  She started writing poetry during the pandemic to steady herself during the brief pauses of a busy life.  Over the years this has taken on different forms.  Her writing has been published in the Examined Life Journal, The Intima Journal, Bramble, Pulse, Wisconsin Poets Calendar and Kevin MD Blog. She completed the Columbia University Narrative Medicine CPA Program and pursued creative writing courses through Stanford University Continuing Studies Program. Synopsis: Dissociative EffectDissociative Effect is Dr. Redmer’s debut poetry collection. In this book she reminds us that humans have evolved to "think in stories, to talk in stories, to narrate an unfolding autobiography to ourselves in stories . . ." She reminds us that the narrative process is a template for healing as our narrative lives can be rewritten, retold, restoried. The "dissociative effect" is a reference to the anesthetic ketamine and the distance one can sometimes feel from living an embodied, authentic life. It is also a testimonial to the perspective shifting that is a necessary part of healing and the wisdom that can come from aging. Dr. Redmer uses Dissociative Effect as her own blueprint for healing. She organizes the book in 3 sections - disease (pathos), diagnosis (diagnoses), and treatment (ad sanadum) and exposes lessons learned when one looks deeply at the difficulties encountered in living a life.LINKS:jaquelineredmer.com