Not As Crazy As You Think Podcast

Jen Gaita Siciliano
  • 5.0 (6)
  • MENTAL HEALTH

Mental Health is attainable for anyone--especially those labeled with mental illness. Join artist, memoir writer, and bipolar psychiatric survivor, Jen Gaita Siciliano, as she challenges our world's current limited understanding of mental illness in interviews with artists, healers, educators and shamans, who offer fresh perspectives on mental health and creativity. Episodes also include Jen's personal writing on living as a bipolar creative, as well as news commentary that exposes psychiatry as an incompatible paradigm with the true landscape of the human mind. If you are ready for a new narrative on the mental realm in a place that celebrates crazy and cool without penalty, then Not As Crazy As You Think is for you!

  1. On Trump, His Shadow Archetypes and the Symbolic Pulse of the Nation with Jungian Dream Analyst, Warren Falcon (S6 E10)

    DEC 1

    On Trump, His Shadow Archetypes and the Symbolic Pulse of the Nation with Jungian Dream Analyst, Warren Falcon (S6 E10)

    In the episode, "On Trump, His Shadow Archetypes and the Symbolic Pulse of the Nation with Jungian Dream Analyst, Warren Falcon (S6 E10)," Jungian-oriented counselor and dream expert, Warren Falcon, illuminates the many shadow archetypes of Donald Trump as America currently deals with its cultural complex of a lost dream. The conversation opens up with reference to a podcast interviewing Thomas Lavin, the now deceased Jungian analyst, who served as the chief clinical psychologist for the US army from 1977 to 1981. In the podcast mentioned, Lavin speaks about the dictators of the last century, those of Europe in both World Wars, and presents Jung's takes on Trump and Hitler. (link below)  Warren further speaks on America’s cultural complexes and our loss of the symbolic life. He highlights the active archetypal expressions of Trump-- from the trickster, to the god of war, to the king. Warren tackles the symbolic chaos we are currently wading through and reminds us about the American dream that is linked to the overriding complex we have as a nation, as we both run away from and embrace the king archetype collectively. Warren also speaks about Pete Hegseth’s rant to the military generals, the event during which Trump chimed in with his declaration of "the enemy within", which is namely his own shadow projected outward onto anyone but himself.  In the midst of Trump’s last-ditch effort to be the voice to prevent the Great Replacement in America—the idea that black and brown people will replace the white race—will Americans finally wake up to the demise of our multi-cultural American immigrant story?  Warren encourages the listener to do their own study and research regarding the topics approached, especially the work of C. G. Jung, which are "loosely" sketched in this "free range" conversation. Folks can email Warren if they want to quibble or offer differing views at: falconwarren@gmail.com. In subject line put: “Jen’s podcast- dreamwork”  References: Thomas Lavin, Ph.D. | The Trump Phenomena | Speaking of Jung #17 Opinion | Trump’s Il Duce Routine - The New York Times Opinion | Trump’s Last Stand for White America - The New York Times Trump AI video posted after No Kings 2: https://youtu.be/nWHDKDwnJZs?si=3Lcygb4kCVjYSe3G The poem by Ginsberg is his famous poem HOWL...the Molloch portion: https://www.reddit.com/r/Poetry/comments/zulzd4/poem_allen_ginsberg_moloch/  Books mentioned on podcast: Jungs Collected Works online free download: https://jungiancenter.org/books/    The Anatomy of the Psyche, Alchemical Symbolism in Psychotherapy by Edward F. Edinger A Little Course On Dreams by Robert Boznak  Jung's autobiography of  his inner life:  Memories, Dreams, Reflections  Modern Man In Search Of A Soul by C. G. Jung Boundaries of the Soul by June Singer Jung For Dummies or Jung for Beginners The New Penguin History of the World by J. M. Roberts   Suggested media: On Jung and his Psychology: Matter of Heart: The Best Documentary on CG Jung (1986) Thomas Kuhn: Paradigm Shift The Century Of The Self Part 1 o Send us a text

    1h 48m
  2. Through the Lens of Psychophobia with Dr. Michael Montgomery: Exploring the Modern Medicalization of Mental Health (S6 E9)

    OCT 27

    Through the Lens of Psychophobia with Dr. Michael Montgomery: Exploring the Modern Medicalization of Mental Health (S6 E9)

    In the episode, "Through the Lens of Psychophobia with Dr. Michael Montgomery: Exploring the Modern Medicalization of Mental Health (S6 E9)," Dr. Montgomery shares with us in the podcast the phenomenon of psychophobia and how it manifests in today’s medicalization of mental health. Society’s fear of extreme states influences the model the system uses, and outcomes are negative due to the model itself. Dr. Montgomery believes it is time to return to a more humane interaction with those who suffer from extreme states that looks more deeply at the humanity of the patient and respects the interiority of the mind.  Michael R. Montgomery, PhD, MSW, MA, MSc, LCSW, is an existential psychoanalyst with international expertise in complex trauma, extreme states (psychosis and mania), addiction, and conflict resolution. He trained at Regent’s University London, The Tavistock and Portman, and the Anna Freud Centre. In addition to his private practice, he leads Perform23, collaborating with specialists in movement, dance, and music to create alternative access points to healing and community, most notably supporting 5th Element and Plan B in post-conflict Belfast. He is also the founder of Peacefire.us, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering dialogue and understanding between individuals from diverse and often opposing backgrounds. He is a regular contributor to the Society for Existential Analysis (SEA) annual conference, the R.D. Laing Symposium, and ISPS-US. His clinical work is primarily community-based, focused on individuals typically excluded from quality care. With over 26 peer-reviewed articles, reviews, and book chapters, he is currently developing a new book and podcast on psychophobia—the fear of the mind. To learn more about Dr. Montgomery’s theories, check out his paper: Psychophobia and its Cure: an Existential Phenomenological Perspective. Journal of Existential Analysis, 2025, 36(1): 51-66. Follow his website at: https://drmontgomery.com/  Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect:  LinkedIn: @jensiciliano Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/jengaita.bsky.social Send us a text

    1h 34m
  3. Relinquishing the Label, Embracing the Voices, and Healing in an Alternative Paradigm with author Mary Clista Dahl (S6, E8)

    JUL 30

    Relinquishing the Label, Embracing the Voices, and Healing in an Alternative Paradigm with author Mary Clista Dahl (S6, E8)

    In the episode, "Relinquishing the Label, Embracing the Voices, and Healing in an Alternative Paradigm with author Mary Clista Dahl" (S6, E8), Mary shares her story about letting go of the label, embracing an alternative paradigm, and learning to listen to the voices. Mary sees breakdowns not as a symptom of a disordered mind, but as the response to a crazy culture. She puts forth an approach to healing through many modalities, and offers a sacred space in which her Twelve Angels programs and gatherings can flourish.  Mary Clista Dahl has lived experience of “psychosis” and is well known in the national and international mental health communities for promoting hopeful recovery solutions for what is clinically described as serious mental illness, encouraging others to understand their labels as attributes. She enjoys speaking, writing and introducing others to compassionate care options. Mary is an author who is also passionate about holistic health, interested in integrative healing practices and is a certified aromatherapist and Reiki Master. She earned her Masters Degree in Integrative Health and Healing and recognizes the role that nature plays in our well being. To learn more about Mary Clista Dahl, connect to her on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/capturelifewriting/ or LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcdahl/ Check out her website: https://www.twelveangels.org  email: MaryClistalaughs@gmail.com To read her memoir: Reconciliation of the Heart: Memoir of Mary Clista Dahl: A Healing Journey to Joy, Love and Compassion Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect:  LinkedIn: @jensiciliano Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/jengaita.bsky.social Send us a text

    51 min
  4. A Lived Experience Dialogue: Facing Our Pasts, Reinventing Our Futures with Tom Woodrow and Mike Panasitti (S6, E7)

    MAY 10

    A Lived Experience Dialogue: Facing Our Pasts, Reinventing Our Futures with Tom Woodrow and Mike Panasitti (S6, E7)

    In the episode, “A Lived Experience Dialogue: Facing Our Pasts, Reinventing Our Futures with Tom Woodrow and Mike Panasitti (S6, E7),” I sit with two success stories of people who have suffered with forms of mental illness who have come out on the other side.  Part 1: When Tom Woodrow was 17, his life took a sharp turn. During a road trip with friends, Tom experienced his first manic episode, and subsequently ended up in a psychiatric hospital-misdiagnosed with depression and subjected to electroshock therapy. After years of struggling, and after nearly losing his life in India during a volunteer trip, he met two counselors from a mental health charity, who taught him to manage moods, avoid triggers, and stay well with skills that have kept him stable for 20 years. Today he helps others who also live with bipolar disorder, understanding how overwhelming it can be. He offers support programs that help people manage their symptoms and lead fulfilling lives. To learn more about Tom, follow him at:  Instagram: @bipolarwithyou Part 2: Mike Panasitti was born in East Los Angeles in 1969 and is a graduate of UC Berkeley and a former patient of California's Department of State Hospitals.  From 2015 to 2018 he was a prisoner at New Folsom, a maximum security prison near Sacramento.  Mike is now an exhibiting artist, as well as a poet and prose writer whose publishing credits include poems in Matter, creative non-fiction in WALL Literary Journal, and over 40 short stories posted on Reedsy Prompts.  He currently lives in the city of Santa Ana and is enrolled as a student of creative writing at Saddleback College.  Mike shares how he become acquainted with the mental health industrial complex and bravely reveals what he’s learned from prolonged institutionalization. Envisioning a new path, Mike is committe3d to making his dreams come true as a professional artist and writer.  To learn more about Mike, follow him at: Instagram: @mikepanasitti Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect: Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensiciliano Twitter: @ jsiciliano Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/jengaita.bsky.social Send us a text

    1h 25m
  5. Spotlight on Psychotherapy Beyond Traditional Boundaries with Al Galves: Finding the Underlying Causes of Mental Distress. (S6, E6)

    FEB 25

    Spotlight on Psychotherapy Beyond Traditional Boundaries with Al Galves: Finding the Underlying Causes of Mental Distress. (S6, E6)

    In the episode, "Spotlight on Psychotherapy Beyond Traditional Boundaries with Al Galves: Finding Well-being by Targeting the Underlying Causes of Mental Distress, (S6, E6)" psychoanalyst Galves joins the show to share his own personal lived experience and his insight on the problems with the traditional treatment model in psychiatry. Author of "Harness Your Dark Side: Mastering Jealousy, Rage, Frustration and Other Negative Emotions," Al shares compelling stories that reveal the importance of addressing unmet emotional needs to combat depression and dissatisfaction. Galves challenges the medical model of mental illness arguing that mental health issues are not just biological disorders to be masked with medication but are tied to our emotions and life experiences. He emphasizes taking personal responsibility and explores the profound benefits of psychotherapy and other alternative approaches like support groups and exercise. Discover why confronting your emotions—even the negative ones—can lead to authentic personal growth as Al underscores the significance of connection, self-expression, and capability in fostering mental health and happiness.   Al dives into the complex nature of diagnoses like psychosis, highlighting the importance of understanding these conditions as responses to overwhelming experiences rather than mere pathologies. Through therapeutic approaches like the Soteria House model and the work of psychologist John Weir Perry, we explore how psychosis and other mental health issues can be seen as survival strategies. Al’s compassionate insights challenge the limitations of the medical model, offering listeners a glimpse into a more humanistic and empowering approach to mental well-being.  Don't miss Al’s generous offer of his book and insights for those eager to explore these ideas further. If you'd like a copy of his book, email him and let him know: agalves2003@comcast.net Follow Al Galves at: Linked In: https://www.linkedin.com/in/albert-galves-b9b26752/ YouTube: @algalves3512 website: www.algalves.com Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect: Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensiciliano Twitter: @ jsiciliano Bluesky:  https://bsky.app/profile/jengaita.bsky.social Send us a text

    1h 23m
  6. Finding the Support and Mindset to Be Bold, Invite in Change, and Regain Play with Mr. D (S6, E5)

    JAN 9

    Finding the Support and Mindset to Be Bold, Invite in Change, and Regain Play with Mr. D (S6, E5)

    In the episode, "Finding the Support and Mindset to Be Bold, Invite in Change, and Regain Play with Mr. D (S6, E5)", I invite back my former Social Studies grammar school teacher, Don DiBenedetto, or Mr. D, to share his anecdotes and enthusiasm for how to bring in change into your life through learning how to align with the right mindset. Now a teacher of spirituality, Mr. D shows us through a variety of techniques how we all can co-create with the universe to bring into our lives our greatest wishes and dreams. #bipolarartist #manic #depression  #joyfulness #changefromwithin #wordsofwisdom #notascrazyasyouthink #mentalillness #mentalhealth #manifestingchange Follow Mr. D on: TikTok: @intro2spirituality IG: @dondibenedetto1946 Facebook: @dondibenedetto Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect: Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensiciliano Twitter: @ jsiciliano Send us a text

    51 min
  7. The Start-Up Story of a Theater Company: An Interview with Alan Lutwin, President of Westchester Collaborative Theater (S6, E4)

    11/08/2024

    The Start-Up Story of a Theater Company: An Interview with Alan Lutwin, President of Westchester Collaborative Theater (S6, E4)

    In the episode, "The Start-Up Story of a Theater Company: An Interview with Alan Lutwin, President of Westchester Collaborative Theater (S6, E4)," Alan shares the journey of Westchester Collaborative Theater (WCT), located in Ossining, NY, a new play development company that incubates new works for the stage. By drawing in actors, writers and directors, WCT combines creative resources to bring original plays to fruition. Members participate in a lab process where, several times a month, new plays are read and critiqued. As the first time the work has been seen, plays workshopped in labs help forge the link between artists and the audience and community. Alan explains that as a public medium, a play needs to be tested and read in front of an audience to know what you have. After 14 years, WCT has become much more than a space to develop new theater pieces, but labs are still the core of the company.  Alan shares the journey of the startup, how it began, what keeps it going, and how it has grown. Today WCT has branched into holding space for all sorts of creative performances and happenings, such as jazz nights, comedy nights and theater classes. Alan offers advice on how to start-up a creative space in other communities, especially those suburbs already surrounding metro areas where theater is thriving only miles away, but is sometimes lacking in the nearby surrounding suburban communities.  To purchase tickets for upcoming events or to find out more about Westchester Collaborative Theater go to:  https://www.wctheater.org/ Follow WTC on Insta:  https://www.instagram.com/wctheater914/ #theatercompany #startup #culture #playwrights #communityarts #mentalhealth Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect: Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensiciliano Twitter: @ jsiciliano Send us a text

    1h 6m
  8. The A.W.A.R.E. Project and Crisis Taking Center Stage, with Crisis Counselor, Carlito Cabelin (S6 E3)

    08/06/2024

    The A.W.A.R.E. Project and Crisis Taking Center Stage, with Crisis Counselor, Carlito Cabelin (S6 E3)

    In the episode, “The A.W.A.R.E. Project and Crisis Taking Center Stage, with Crisis Counselor, Carlito Cabelin (S6 E3),” Carlito shares his personal journey on both sides of the mental health system. After his own positive experience in an outpatient program after a personal crisis, Carlito does not prosecute the system, but rather sheds light on what interactions with program and staff actually work and provide healing.  As an Employee-ownership industry executive, he balances his time as a NJ Certified Disaster Crisis Counselor and Mental Health Peer Support coach. Now, as a first responder for people in crisis, Carlito offers his ears and empathy to those who struggle as they call into his Crisis Text Line. He poses the point that everybody is in crisis in some way and gives his insight into what trauma and resilience look like.  Carlito shares his involvement with the A.W.A.R.E. project, which stands for: Are We Aware Of Religious Experiences, and describes it as a movement changing the current paradigm from pathologizing spiritual experience to normalizing it. Connecting with other first responders to share training programs, and working in partnership with Janet Werner on a docuseries and movie, Carlito continues to pave the way for new voices and experiences to be heard by mainstream ears. To follow Carlito Cabelin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carlitocabelin/ Or contact Carlito Cabelin at ccabelin@gmail.com Follow on Facebook: Rethinking Mental Health Facebook Follow on Linkedin: (7) A.W.A.R.E. (Are We Aware Of Religious Experiences): About | LinkedIn #religiousexperience #areweaware #hotline #firstresponder #mentalheatlh #suicide Don't forget to subscribe to the Not As Crazy As You Think YouTube channel @SicilianoJen And please visit my website at: www.jengaitasiciliano.com Connect: Instagram: @ jengaita LinkedIn: @ jensiciliano Twitter: @ jsiciliano Send us a text

    1h 6m
See All (93)

Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Mental Health is attainable for anyone--especially those labeled with mental illness. Join artist, memoir writer, and bipolar psychiatric survivor, Jen Gaita Siciliano, as she challenges our world's current limited understanding of mental illness in interviews with artists, healers, educators and shamans, who offer fresh perspectives on mental health and creativity. Episodes also include Jen's personal writing on living as a bipolar creative, as well as news commentary that exposes psychiatry as an incompatible paradigm with the true landscape of the human mind. If you are ready for a new narrative on the mental realm in a place that celebrates crazy and cool without penalty, then Not As Crazy As You Think is for you!

Information

  • Creator
    Jen Gaita Siciliano
  • Years Active
    2020 - 2025
  • Episodes
    93
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2025 Not As Crazy As You Think Podcast
  • Show Website
    Not As Crazy As You Think Podcast