We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jessica Griesheimer a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jessica thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Let’s kick things off with your mission – what is it and what’s the story behind why it’s your mission?

I am on a mission to turn a movie into a movement that ends the cycle of domestic abuse and provides more community resources for women and their dogs.

The inspiration for this mission was born from a place of total darkness in my life where I found myself being the victim of domestic abuse that started mental and eventually physical abuse that left me in a situation where I only had minutes to leave or possibly pay for it with my life. I grabbed two of the most valuable things to me; my dogs.

I have realized that I wasn’t alone in my situation. I delayed leaving because I didn’t want to leave my dogs behind and I didn’t know who could help me. In fact, over 10 million women every year face a similar dilemma and feel like they don’t have any other option but to live in the endless abuse cycle that their dogs often become victims of themselves.

It feels like a strong calling to use the art of storytelling and filmmaking that not only raises awareness of such an undiscussed issue, but inspires advocates for women & dogs to take action within their own communities. From there, communities across the world will have a pet friendly shelter available to keep women & dogs together.

Jessica, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I was introduced to the independent film industry by my husband who not only taught me so many aspects of the industry, but also taught me how to love myself throughout my healing journey as a survivor of domestic violence.

Last year, we had this wild idea to include my oldest dog, who is known to be a bit of a drama queen anyway, in the cast of a short film we made over the winter. He was a natural! Storm was quick to respond to queues on command that made his performance stand out and what helped bring forward the idea to make a movie from his perspective of the abuse we lived through together. And shortly after, the first script for Without Her was born.

This project, that was supposed to just be a short film, quickly developed into a much larger movement toward something bigger than myself or my dog. But it seems like the universe knew that we were the ones that could combine such a unique storytelling experience with the art of film to make something that inspires the viewer to make a positive change within their own communities to help bring more resources to victims and the dogs that get caught in the crossfire.
There is an interesting phenomenon that affects that neural pathways in our brain when you watch a movie that raises both your cortisol & oxytocin levels that makes you feel an intense emotional response that lingers long after the credits stop rolling. By telling this story through the eyes of a dog, it creates a strong desire to become a part of the solution.

I also believe that big changes start within your own community. That’s why I am dedicated to also help bring the first pet friendly domestic violence shelter to my hometown. I believe that when people across the country get the chance to be moved by the movie, they will look toward the very people who created it as a source of reference to be the first people to create pet friendly domestic violence shelters in their hometown too. That is also why I have partnered with the SAF-T Program (Sheltering Animals & Families Together) to help educate local shelters on how to make the transition to pet friendly housing.

Although my proudest moments have been all of the opportunities that I have been given to speak directly to local and state leaders who are advocating for same women who typically own a dog. Sharing my message shows victims and former victims that they are not and have never been alone in this battle.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

If you’re not the creative type, it can sometimes be difficult to even understand what creativity is, especially in connection to artistic industries. Creativity is all about finding ways to express complex emotions that words can’t often find. It’s about using those forms of expression to solve problems great and small. Because so many people think that creativity and emotions don’t coincide, many businesses find their culture to be full of a lot of empty results when it comes to creative work.

For a business to foster a creative culture that gets results, you must embrace the emotions that the work stems from. I have too often been told that I am too sensitive for the industries I have worked in. In reality, my sensitivity is exactly what many businesses are lacking to create the winning formula that converts leads into sales and new clients into loyal ones. Because the more you embrace your sensitive side, the more authentic you become. And if there’s one thing that the world is craving so much of right now, is authenticity.

Have any books or other resources had a big impact on you?

There are a couple of book written and spoken by Brene Brown that have resonated with me for years and I have made conscious and subconscious efforts to implement into my projects. Specifically, “Dare To Lead” and “Atlas of the Heart” are among the best when it came to understanding how to lead others effectively and compassionately. Much can be said for Atlas of the Heart that helped me understand the difference between many of life’s complex emotions and where they stem from.

The opportunity to be an inspirational leader comes by setting the example. Be vulnerable; because that’s true courage.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.withouthermovie.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/withouthermovie
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/withouthermovie
• Youtube: www.youtube.com/withouthermovie
• Other: www.tiktok.com/withouthermovie

Image Credits
DrayDay Photography-Dray Stewart