Press Release
Media Contact: Mia Sissac
Mia@mosaicgroup.co
From Grief to Greatness: Dr. Alvin B. Jackson Jr.’s “The Wounded Healer”
Reveals How Pain, Redemption, and Authentic Leadership Shape Life’s Second Act
Bunnell, FL - October X, 2025 – What happens when a leader, known for his composure and control, has his world shattered? For Dr. Alvin B. Jackson Jr., the answer came through the most unexpected teacher: grief. His new book, “The Wounded Healer: An Inspiring Story of Love, Loss, and Faith”, is a powerful memoir and practical guide to leading and living after loss.
With unflinching honesty, Dr. Jackson shares how heartbreak became the catalyst that reshaped his life and philosophy on leadership. In this deeply personal memoir, Dr. Jackson shares his life lived in two worlds, one as a highly accomplished city official and public servant and the other as a man quietly navigating the chaos of love, loss and faith. Balancing a demanding career while caring for a wife suffering from severe paranoid schizophrenia, he became both mother and father to his two daughters while pride kept him from seeking help. He shares his story with raw human fragility including the search for connection during his first marriage that led to infidelity, the early calling to ministry and the bittersweet rediscovery of true partnership with the love of his life, only to lose her to cancer just as he was learning to be fully present. This is a story of redemption. Through loss Dr. Jackson found clarity and purpose. His journey challenges readers to confront their own wounds, embrace truth and lead with authenticity.
His message is true leadership begins after the breaking point. “The Wounder Healer” is not just my story, it’s a blueprint for leading with compassion, building resilient teams and unlocking the true potential in us and others,” says Dr. Jackson. “Dealing with my grief stripped away what I thought made me strong. It made me realize a different kind of power, the ability to lead from wholeness not perfection.”
After a season of deep personal loss, Dr. Jackson entered what he calls his “Second Act”, a time not defined by titles and achievements but by purpose and presence. It’s a period of reinvention, where pain becomes wisdom and leadership becomes service. In this book Dr. Jackson explores how emotional honesty and faith can restore the leader within. Each chapter blends storytelling with insights, offering the readers a guide for navigating their own transitions, whether in the boardroom, the pulpit, or in the silence of personal life.
Key Lessons Include:
- How to lead through loss without losing yourself
- Why vulnerability is the new strength in leadership
- How to transform grief into resilience and renewed purpose
“The Wounded Healer” is a book that speaks to those who lead while fighting invisible personal battles:
- Faith Leaders healing from burnout and rediscovering grace
- Government Officials and Executives balancing human struggle with public service
- Men in Leadership learning to lead from vulnerability
- Military and Law Enforcement Professionals navigating mental health, loss and identity issues
The release of “The Wounded Healer” launches a broader initiative, The Wounder Healer Leadership Series, a speaking and coaching platform dedicated to helping leaders cultivate emotional intelligence and purpose-driven performance. Topics include:
- “Leading When Life Breaks You Open”
- “Building Teams from a Place of Authentic Strength”
- “Mental Health and Leadership: A Conversation We Must Have”
About the Author
Dr. Alvin B. Jackson, Jr., is a veteran city manager, strategist, and community builder with more than four decades of distinguished public service across Florida and the nation. He has successfully led 10 communities in Washington, D.C. to rural North Florida, where his collaborative leadership has united elected officials, staff, and residents around bold, transformative goals. Throughout his career, Dr. Jackson has spearheaded over $200 million in capital improvements, bringing millions in investment and revitalization to the communities he’s served. He currently serves as the City Manager for the City of Bunnell since October 2018.
A master at organizational development, he has strategically built world-class institutions committed to effective leadership, exceptional customer service, and measurable results. In addition to “The Wounded Healer”, he is also the author of “It Is Another Great Day: An Inspiring Guide for Effective Leadership”, both of which embody his core belief that servant leadership is not a title or position, it’s who you are on the inside.
For more information, please visit https://dralvinbjacksonjr.com.
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