Dr. Gillian O'Shea Brown

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Dr. Gillian O'Shea Brown ⚡️PSYCHE’S AWAKENING: A Guide to Emotional & Somatic Healing Through the Wisdom of Greek Myth⚡️OUT NOW!

Why did they pick me?It’s one of the most painful questions people carry after a relationship with someone narcissistic ...
10/14/2026

Why did they pick me?

It’s one of the most painful questions people carry after a relationship with someone narcissistic & it can stay with us for years.

When Dr. Ramani Durvasula & I talked about narcissistic accessorizing, I described it as wearing a person like a handbag. They’re not loving the whole person, just the way that person makes them look. And so often, what drew them in was the very best of you.

If this is part of your story, please be gentle with yourself. Those qualities were never the problem & they’re still yours.

In chapter 1 of Psyche’s Awakening, Daffodils in Spring, I write:

“You will never find your worth in another person; you find it within yourself and then from there, you find people worthy of you.” (p23)

And swipe to the end for the part I’m still pinching myself about. I never expected Ramani to tell me she couldn’t put the book down, or that she’d rush to the next chapter to read the next myth. I grew up in Ireland on fairy tales & folklore & I always wanted this book to feel like a story first, so hearing that made my heart very full.

Thank you, Ramani, for this conversation & for your kind words. 🤍

If you’ve read it, I’d love to know which myth stayed with you.
narcissistic abuse recovery, narcissistic relationships, why did the narcissist choose me, narcissistic accessorizing, healing after a narcissist, trauma therapist, self worth, self love, Dr. Ramani, Psyche’s Awakening, Greek mythology & psychology, trauma healing books

The Netflix series The One About Matthew Perry comes out in two weeks, on October 27, & I’ve been thinking about him a l...
10/13/2026

The Netflix series The One About Matthew Perry comes out in two weeks, on October 27, & I’ve been thinking about him a lot.

Content note: this post talks about addiction & loss.

He gave so many of us years of laughter as Chandler. In his memoir, Friends, Lovers, and the Big Terrible Thing, he also let us see what he was carrying underneath.

He flew alone between two countries as a little boy, felt torn between his parents, & came to see himself as “broken, bent, unlovable.”

I write about his story in chapter 2 of Psyche’s Awakening, Vulnerability, because it shows so clearly how the beliefs we form as children can follow us for a lifetime.

If any of this feels close to home, please go gently. Those beliefs were learned when you were small & doing your best to survive. They are not the truth about who you are.

On each slide I’ve shared a line from the book that speaks to his story.

What’s one kind thing you wish someone had told you as a child?

Matthew Perry friends chandlerbing traumahealing innerchild psychesawakening the one about Matthew Perry

10/12/2026

A therapist's take on "Patient Zero" 🎧

When you realise someone else went through the same pattern before you, it can change how you see the whole relationship.

"You will never find your worth in another person; you find it within yourself and then from there, you find people worthy of you."
Psyche's Awakening, Chapter 1: Daffodils in Spring (The Difference Between Narcissism and Self-Love), p23

Has a song ever helped you make sense of something you lived through?

I’ve watched Taylor Swift’s Patient Zero video more than once now & so much of it stays with me.The two women mirroring ...
10/06/2026

I’ve watched Taylor Swift’s Patient Zero video more than once now & so much of it stays with me.

The two women mirroring each other, like Narcissus & Echo. The charm at the party that everyone falls for. And then the drive home, where he asks how many drinks she’s had, tells her she’s embarrassed him & says he thought she was different. And she apologises.

If any of this feels familiar, please be gentle with yourself. These patterns are very hard to see from the inside & staying is so often about survival. It says nothing about your strength or your worth.

What moves me most is Taylor’s character. She was there first & she doesn’t judge. She simply says, I see you. In my work, I’ve seen how much healing can begin with being believed.

On each slide I’ve shared a line from Psyche’s Awakening that speaks to what this video shows.

Who was your “I see you” person?

Medusa has long been remembered as the monster.⁠⁠But what happens when we look at her story through the lens of trauma r...
10/06/2026

Medusa has long been remembered as the monster.⁠
⁠
But what happens when we look at her story through the lens of trauma rather than fear?⁠
⁠
Her transformation becomes more than a punishment or a mythic curse. It can become a reflection of what happens when violence changes the way we see ourselves, the way we relate to others, and even the way we inhabit our own bodies.⁠
⁠
Trauma can fracture identity. It can create isolation. It can leave us feeling unrecognizable to ourselves.⁠
⁠
And yet myth gives us a way to look at these experiences indirectly, with enough distance to begin naming what may otherwise feel impossible to hold.⁠
⁠
Medusa’s story asks us to look beyond the monster and consider the wound beneath it.⁠

In my latest Psychology Today article, I explore Medusa’s story as a reflection of trauma, identity, and the wound beneath the image we have come to fear.

Read the full article here:
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/psyches-awakening/202609/medusas-mirror-reflecting-the-impact-of-trauma
⁠

10/05/2026

if a narcissist left you asking “was it me?”, please hear this.

so many survivors carry the blame for someone else’s storm for years. in my conversation with Dr. Ramani Durvasula I shared why that weight was never yours to hold 🤍

“The wound itself may not be your fault, but the responsibility of healing now rests with you.”
from the prologue of my book, Psyche’s Awakening 📕

10/05/2026

I’ll be honest, I’ve watched this back more than once.

When Dr. Ramani Durvasula told me she sat down with Psyche’s Awakening & couldn’t put it down, it meant so much. Her work has helped so many people make sense of narcissistic relationships, so hearing this from her really landed.

She said it reads like a storybook as much as a self-help book. That was always my hope. Every chapter begins with a myth, because sometimes it’s easier to see our own story when it’s told through someone else’s.

If you’ve been through relational trauma & you’re looking for a gentle place to begin, I hope it can be that for you.

Thank you, Ramani.

Psyche’s Awakening is out now with HarperOne. You’ll find it through the link in my bio.

GreekMythology

Still taking in the magic of this evening. ✨⚡️Thank you to everyone who joined us at Barnes & Noble to celebrate the rel...
09/25/2026

Still taking in the magic of this evening. ✨⚡️

Thank you to everyone who joined us at Barnes & Noble to celebrate the release of Psyche’s Awakening. After so much time spent writing, reflecting, and bringing this book into the world, getting to share it with all of you in person was incredibly special.

A heartfelt thank you to Ayana Christie | Product Launch Coach and Lit Society™ by Bond & Grace for such a thoughtful conversation about the ways ancient myths can become mirrors and maps for our own healing.

And to everyone who came, asked questions, shared your stories, and waited to have your books signed: thank you. I’m so grateful to have you be part of this next chapter. 💛

Psyche’s Awakening is officially out in the world, and this was such a beautiful way to celebrate.

If you haven’t picked up your copy yet, you can order Psyche’s Awakening now at the link in my bio.

09/22/2026

Publication day is here! ✨📖

To celebrate the release of Psyche’s Awakening, I’m spreading a little joy around NYC, with a few free copies tucked around Domino Park and five more copies to give away right here.

To enter:
• Like this post
• Tag a friend in the comments
•
I’m so grateful for all of your kind messages, congratulations, and support. I can’t wait to share Psyche’s Awakening with you and begin this journey together. 💛

Psyche’s Awakening is officially out in the world today. 💛Reaching this moment feels incredibly special, and I’m so grat...
09/22/2026

Psyche’s Awakening is officially out in the world today. 💛

Reaching this moment feels incredibly special, and I’m so grateful for the extraordinary people who have read this book, supported it, and shared such generous words along the way.

Thank you Doctor Tara, Sheleana Aiyana | Author + Speaker, Sheleana Aiyana, Dr. Ramani Durvasula, Dr. Nicole LePera, Kelly McDaniel LPC author Mother Hunger, and everyone else who has helped champion
Psyche’s Awakening. Your support has meant more than I can say.

Swipe through to read some of the beautiful praise for the book. ✨

And if you’re in New York, come celebrate with me tonight at Barnes & Noble Park Slope from 6–7 PM for a special book signing.

RSVP at the link in my bio.

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