Jennifer Grant

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She Lost Her Son Overnight—How Story, Unschooling, and a Rare Diagnosis Changed Everything

🎙️ with Jennifer Grant

Jennifer Grant’s son changed overnight.
Not gradually. Not over time.
But suddenly—so drastically that she barely recognised him.

Rage, anxiety, and confusion took over. And instead of help, Jennifer was met with disbelief. Doctors dismissed her. Professionals blamed her. Some even threatened to remove him from her care.

But she didn’t give up.

What she later discovered was that he had PANDAS—a rare neuroimmune disorder that can cause sudden, severe behavioral shifts in children. She left her career as a teacher to care for him full-time. When COVID changed everything, she chose to unschool both her children—creating space for calm, healing, and connection.

Through that journey, she reconnected with her own voice and purpose. Today, Jennifer is the founder of Story Alchemy Academy, where she helps coaches, creatives, and entrepreneurs use storytelling to grow meaningful, aligned work.

This episode is about misdiagnosis, invisibility, and maternal instinct—but it’s also filled with clarity, courage, and laughter.

It’s about what happens when you stop waiting to be understood—and start telling the story only you can tell.

If you’ve ever had to trust yourself when no one else did—or rebuild life on your own terms—this one’s for you.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

The moment Jennifer’s son changed overnight—and how she responded
How PANDAS created chaos no one else could see
What it felt like to be dismissed, blamed, and threatened as a mother
The pressure to follow expert advice—and why she said no
Choosing to walk away from the system and into something unknown
Why unschooling became part of their healing after COVID
How storytelling helped Jennifer rebuild clarity and confidence
Founding Story Alchemy Academy and what it's really about
The surprising joy, laughter, and connection woven into their journey
What Jennifer wants others to know about resilience, voice, and starting againHow “Brag on Her Brave Mama” invites us to uplift the women who carried us through

⏱ Timestamps:

00:00 – Welcome + Chrystal introduces Jennifer and the story behind this conversation
02:16 – The night everything changed: “He was gone by morning”
05:10 – What is PANDAS? The symptoms no one could see
06:33 – Misdiagnosis, dismissal, and being blamed as a mother
07:34 – Facing threats from professionals—and refusing to give up
10:34 – Leaving her teaching job to care for her son full-time
14:55 – The impact of COVID and choosing unschooling
20:32 – How story began to help her reconnect and rebuild
26:25 – Founding Story Alchemy Academy and helping others
34:43 – Laughter, reflections, and how she’s finding joy in the journey