Greek mythology has stood the test of time, thanks to its universal themes, storytelling archetypes, and, as therapist and author Dr. Gillian O’Shea Brown, LCSW, writes in her book Psyche’s Awakening, its insights into the human psyche.

From complex family dynamics to overcoming insurmountable challenges, trauma, and suffering to love and relationships, Greek myths have endured through thousands of years as surprisingly relatable stories that reflect aspects of our own modern lives.

Heather Rose Artushin: Share a bit about your background and what inspired you to write Psyche’s Awakening: A Guide to Emotional and Somatic Healing Through the Wisdom of Greek Myth?

Gillian O’Shea Brown: In an era of AI and algorithmic reality, people are starving for what is real and true. Myths endure because they connect us to something larger than ourselves. They aren’t just entertainment—their archetypes are mirrors and roadmaps, reminding us of the resilience and wisdom already waiting inside our own psyches.

After publishing my textbook for NYU, Healing Complex PTSD, I had my own children and realized how much vital psychological wisdom gets locked away behind academic jargon. It made me look back at my own childhood in Ireland, where I understood the world through fairytales and folklore. That’s why I wrote this book: to take the timeless power of Greek mythology and turn it into a practical, modern roadmap for deep psychological healing.

HRA: Greek mythology is having a moment culturally – what about the Greek myths speaks profoundly to the narrative on mental health and psychological healing?

GOB: Yes! I think we all developed a little bit of an obsession with Greek mythology........

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