Psyche's Awakening: A Healing Writing Salon - NYC

What if the oldest stories ever told were really stories about us?

Join Lit Society for an immersive Writers Salon exploring how literature can help us better understand ourselves.

Hosted at Silver Lining Lounge and guided by psychotherapist, NYU adjunct professor, and author Dr. Gillian O'Shea Brown, the evening is inspired by her forthcoming book Psyche's Awakening, which blends ancient stories with modern trauma-informed psychology to explore emotional healing, resilience, and transformation.

Together, we'll examine why figures like Psyche, Medusa, Chiron, and Sisyphus continue to resonate thousands of years later not because they're simply myths, but because they offer language for experiences that remain deeply human: longing, shame, courage, identity, forgiveness, grief, resilience, and the lifelong journey of becoming ourselves.

Throughout the evening, Dr. Gillian will provide literary and psychological context before guiding guests through thoughtful conversations, reflective writing prompts, and creative exercises inspired by the book. Rather than simply discussing literature, we'll use stories as mirrors exploring how the narratives we've inherited shape the way we think, relate, heal, and imagine our futures.

Drawing on her work as a psychotherapist and educator, Dr. Gillian will introduce practical insights rooted in trauma-informed psychology alongside timeless storytelling traditions, inviting guests to transform reflection into original writing.

Think of it as part Writers Salon, part creative workshop, part cocktail party, part guided reflection, and part exploration of the stories that quietly shape who we are.

EVENT DETAILS: 

• Date: Tuesday, August 25
• Time: 6:30 PM - 9:00 PM
  
• Location: Silver Lining Lounge, NYC

TICKET INFORMATION: 

• General Admission: $125
  
• Lit Society Member Price: $100 (Use code from Lit Society Platform at Checkout)
• Cocktail & light bites
  
• Immersive Writers Salon experience
  
• Guided reflections and writing exercises
• Writing materials
• Limited capacity: (60 Tickets)

• All sales are final

WHAT TO EXPECT: 

• Cocktail and light bites
• A guided literary conversation with Dr. Gillian O'Shea Brown
• Readings from Psyche's Awakening
• An introduction to how figures like Psyche, Medusa, Chiron, and Sisyphus can be understood as psychological archetypes rather than simply mythological characters
• Reflection and conversation prompts exploring resilience, identity, shame, self-forgiveness, transformation, and emotional healing
• Creative writing exercises inspired by literature, psychology, and your own lived experience
• An intimate gathering of readers, writers, and culturally curious minds

WHO SHOULD ATTEND: 

• Readers interested in psychology, literary nonfiction, memoir, and personal growth
• Writers, journalers, therapists, coaches, and lifelong learners
• Anyone curious about resilience, identity, healing, relationships, or the stories we tell ourselves
• Readers fascinated by the intersection of literature, psychology, and emotional wellbeing
• People craving thoughtful conversation and meaningful connection

WHAT TO BRING: 

• Bring a notebook if you'd like
• Writing materials will be provided
• Come ready to reflect, write, and explore

NOTE: 

• No prior writing experience is necessary
• The goal isn't to write perfectly
• It's to better understand the stories that have shaped you—and to begin imagining new ones
• Whether you leave with a new story idea, a fresh perspective, or a deeper understanding of yourself, you'll leave having participated in a uniquely Lit Society experience