In this episode of Psychiatria, Dr. Jennifer Giordano and I get into her history and the experiences that led her to holistic psychiatry. We get curious about what it means to be human and how our struggles are often a part of that. I always cherish my conversations with Jen and inevitably find a contented, grateful feeling in her presence. To borrow her words, I leave with a palpable awareness that, “life is just one giant gift!” Her experiences are authentic and relatable, and her perspective is grounded yet inspiring.

Jen was called into wellness practices from a young age. She began to work out in the mornings before school to the Mousercise programs on Disney Channel (I hope this mental image brings you as much joy as it brought me.) She was exposed to motivational speakers by her father which she later investigated more on her own. The idea of human potential grabbed her attention from a young age and stuck with her. Jen’s younger years were influenced by her desire to be healthier and to learn about the alternative ways to do that. Her curiosity was endless, and it seems that her intuition was telling her that something else was out there.

Like many humans out there, Jen experienced anxiety, fear, and depression. She went through the full gambit of treatments, from traditional western medicine to supplements and all kinds of different diets. Our conversation didn’t reveal one particular transformative thing that came through in her life. It seems that, over time and through her practices and explorations, something clicked. This may seem very unhelpful, but I beg to differ. Psychiatria isn’t about giving answers, but I think, albeit counterintuitively, this is the closest thing to an answer we can find. Jen lived her life, she picked up the phone when life called in all it’s painful forms, and then it got better. The process is working whether we know it is or not.

In her current practice as a holistic psychiatrist, Jen gets to be with her patients as they go through their own version of this process, and does so in the realm that facilitated (and still does facilitate) her own healing. She describes this as a high privilege – to be in partnership with people, to provide support, to offer knowledge. We agree that all of these are so important to the patient-healer relationship, but the greatest thing we can offer each other on a purely human level is presence. That is really a gift – to be let into someone else’s life while they go through such an incredible part of their own process.

Jen and I covered some ground in this episode – from the power of the mind to do both harm and good to the wonders of human consciousness. If you haven’t listened yet, do it! You can find Psychiatria on your podcatcher of choice or at the links HERE. If you have listened – What did you think of this episode? Do you have questions you’d like to hear Jen and myself talk about in a future episode? Let me know HERE! I’ve set up a nifty little form for you to use to get in touch. Any questions, comments, or feedback are welcome! You can also find me on instagram (@PsychiatriaPodcast) or send an email to podcast@freerangepsych.org. I can’t wait to hear from you! Stay curious, dear listeners.

Links from this Episode

Powered by RedCircle

Are you interested in working with Dr. Giordano? You can book a free 15 minute phone consultation with her! Not interested in being a patient, but dealing with anxiety and looking for some wisdom? Dr. Giordano is also starting a support group for living with anxiety- “Don’t Hold Your Breath”. Read more about this here.