Different person. Same painful pattern. Why does it happen? Dr. Taz welcomes psychotherapist and complex trauma specialist Dr. Gillian O’Shea Brown to explore how unresolved experiences can shape our relationships, our reactions, and the beliefs we carry about ourselves.
Dr. Gill describes trauma as the past intruding on the present. Together, they discuss how childhood coping strategies can follow us into adulthood, why familiar dynamics can influence attraction, and what it can mean to recognize yourself as the fixer, the caretaker, or the person who puts their own needs last.
Dr. Taz shares her experience of taking responsibility for others’ emotions as the eldest child. Their conversation explores parentification, people-pleasing, emotionally unavailable partners, and the courage involved in expressing your needs.
They also introduce EMDR therapy, the importance of preparation and professional support, and Dr. Gill’s perspective on emotional and somatic healing.
Drawing from her book, Psyche’s Awakening, Dr. Gill brings together psychology and Greek mythology to explore self-compassion, psychological safety, and the possibility of choosing differently.
IN THIS EPISODE
• Recognizing when the past is influencing the present
• How painful experiences can shape core beliefs
• What EMDR therapy involves
• Childhood self-blame and adult coping patterns
• Repetition compulsion and familiar relationship dynamics
• Parentification and becoming “the fixer”
• People-pleasing, self-abandonment, and boundaries
• Noticing how relationships affect your sense of self
• The guest’s perspective on somatic healing
• Finding support and developing self-trust
EXPLORE HOL+ SERVICES
Learn about hol+’s approach to mental health and emotional well-being:
https://holplus.co/services/mental-health/
ABOUT DR. GILLIAN O'SHEA BROWN
Dr. Gillian O’Shea Brown is a psychotherapist, complex trauma specialist, and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. She is the author of Psyche’s Awakening: A Guide to Emotional and Somatic Healing Through the Wisdom of Greek Myth.
CONNECT WITH DR. GILL
Website and book information:
https://www.drgillianosheabrown.com/
Newsletter:
https://drgillianosheabrown.substack.com/
CONNECT WITH HOL+
https://holplus.co/
Follow Dr. Taz:
https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/
Follow the podcast for new episodes, and leave a review to help others discover the conversation.
This episode is for educational purposes and does not replace individualized medical or mental health care.
STAY CONNECTED
Dr. Taz: https://www.instagram.com/drtazmd/
Hol+: https://www.instagram.com/liveholplus/
Hol+ Show: https://www.instagram.com/holplushow/
Subscribe to the audio podcast: https://holplus.transistor.fm/subscribe
Subscribe to the video podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@HolPlusShow/podcasts
Get your copy of ➡️ The Hormone Shift: https://amzn.to/44yYhZd
Produced by https://ClipGrowth.com (Producer: Pat Gostek)