Episode 3 - Breaking Free from Addiction - Jemma's Journey

Living Well with Kathleen Saunders

Jemma Bennett was born in Essex England. When she was 5 years old her parents separated due to her mother's mental health issues and undiagnosed as bipolar. Between ages- 5- 10 she moved around a lot as her mother was in and out of hospital and attempted suicide more than once. Jemma's dad had remarried to a cruel woman who wouldn't take her in and she ended up living with her grandparents.

When she was 11 her grandparents brought her to Canada on vacation, she loved it and didn't want to return to England. A year later Jemma moved and lived with her new Canadian family.

Jemma spent her teen years very angry with her dad for sending her away, even though deep down she understood why he did it. She also felt as though she had abandoned her mum.

It was at a rave were she started experimenting with recreational drugs and entered a relationship with her friends uncle. He treated her poorly but she kept seeing him and ended up having 2 abortions. This is when a spiral of guilt and shame really kicked in and she began to drink heavily. She started taking depo shots not knowing how harmful it would be. She stopped getting her period and put on a lot of weight and then developed an eating disorder and alcoholism took root.

At 19 she realized that she needed to make changes, she went to Douglas Collage for a short culinary program that landed her a job as a prep cook at Cactus Club Cafe and worked her way up to line cook which she really enjoyed. At this point she was drinking less and felt she had found her calling. Jemma continued to struggled with weight but she loved the kitchen and aspired to get a Red Sea.

When warned by her doctor that her period might never return and she may not have children, it sent her into deep darkness and lost of hope. She quit Cactus, continued drinking and worked her way through men who gave her what she needed until she met a man who both physically and emotionally abused her.

Back in the UK her mother's health was steadily declining and her relationship with her dad was a yoyo.

Then she met Scott in a bar, he offered her a job as a labourer and saved her from her ex. By this point she was a full blown alcoholic her liver was failing but she couldn't be sober. Jemma ended up in hospital after turning yellow and not able to walk. she had kidney failure and liver disease. She was in an alcohol/drug induced coma for 10 days and stayed in ECU for 6 weeks, they told her they would deem her a danger to herself if she didn't take the antidepressants and antipsychotics and go to AA.

July 1st 2010, she entered a Christian based treatment centre where she stayed for 90 days. she had always known God but misunderstood Him and spent a long time angry with Him. It was at the centre she learned how much she was loved and started to pray for a baby. Six months later her period came back.

March 16, 2012 Luke James was born, Jemma said she heard the message very clearly "he comes with a message, listen"

Jumping to September 2018 she developed heartburn every day all day and given pronto pump inhibitors by her doctor. After a series of test and no diagnosis she started her own search for healing and quit taking all pharmaceutical drugs. Seeing a EMDR for only 3 months Jemma starts to feel better.

May 2019, Jemma's mum died which knocked her off her feet. They both had been shaped by health mismanagement and Jemma felt it was time to find people who could aid in true healing.

2020, a student at IHN with big dreams and plans. She hopes one day to be a healer.

Christian AA - Hope for Freedom Society, https://hopeforfreedom.org/

Book - Life Recovery Bible