How Does the "Hero's Journey" Help You to Cope With Big Changes in Your Life?

Joseph Campbell and The Power of Myth

Ever since I first became aware of Joseph Campbell's work while watching the PBS series, "Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth" in 1988, I have been an admirer of his work, especially his book, The Hero With a Thousand Faces, and how his concepts can be used to cope with personal change.

The Hero's Journey

When I was a social work graduate student many years ago, I did an internship at an agency for homeless men many of whom had mental health and substance abuse problems. When my supervisor recommended that I do a group for the clients, I knew I wanted to introduce the concepts of the "Hero's Journey" to these clients, which is derived from Campbell's book.

The clients understood immediately how the "Hero's Journey" applied to their life, their recovery and the changes they were trying to make to their life. It was a popular group at the agency.

Since that time, many clients in my psychotherapy practice in New York City have found that the concepts in the "Hero's Journey" helped them to make major changes  in their lives.

What is the "Hero's Journey"?

Joseph Campbell, an American mythologist and author described the "Hero's Journey" as a monomyth. 

A monomyth is a narrative structure which is common in many myths around the world where the main character ventures from their ordinary world to an unknown world. 

Along the way, according to Campbell, the main character encounters adventures, challenges and has transformational experiences of self discovery before they return to the known world to re-enter their world and bring back what they have learned to their society.

"The Hero's Journey" has been used as a blueprint for many movies and stories, including Star Wars. George Lucas created the character, Luke Skywalker, as the hero of the story who transforms from a farm boy into a hero through the classic stages of the "Hero's Journey".

What Are the Stages of the "Hero's Journey"?

The "Hero's Journey" is made of three main phases:

• Separation from the Known World (Departure)

• Initiation

• Return to the Known World

Within those three main phases, there are various stages including:

• The Ordinary World: This is the  hero's normal everyday life before the adventure begins.

• The Call to Adventure: The hero gets the call to face a challenge or a quest.

• Refusal of the Call: The hero hesitates or fears leaving their comfort zone. An example of this is when Luke Skywalker tells Obi-Wan Kenobe that he cannot join him to fight the Empire because he has obligations to his aunt and uncle. He is also fearful and wants to remain in his familiar world.

Meeting the Mentor: Ariadne's Thread

• Meeting the Mentor: A wise or experienced figure gives the hero advice or tools for the challenges to come. In Star Wars, Obi-Wan Kenobe is an important mentor. He teaches him about the Force and lightsaber skills. Another example in the Greek myth, "Theseus and the Minotaur", Ariadne, a princess in Crete, gave the hero, Theseus, a ball of red yarn (or fleece) to help him navigate the Labyrinth, a complex maze that housed the dangerous Minotaur. In psychology, this myth is used as a metaphor for using your inner voice to lead you through the maze of your unconscious mind or through a difficult life transition (see my article: Reclaiming the Power of Your Inner Voice).

• Crossing the First Threshold: The hero commits to the journey and enters into the unknown world.

• Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero faces challenges, makes friends and encounters foes.

• Approach to the Inmost Cave: The hero prepares for the central crisis of the story

• The Ordeal: The ordeal is a central life-or-death crisis where the hero faces their greatest fear.

• Reward (Seizing the Sword): The hero survives the ordeal and takes possession of the treasure or knowledge.

• The Road Back: The hero attempts to return to the ordinary world while they are being chased by danger.

• Resurrection: The hero faces the final high-stakes battle at the threshold of home, which purifies the hero. 

• Return of the Elixir: The hero returns home and brings back the "elixir" (knowledge, treasure or peace) to help their community. For instance, in the myth of "Eros and Psyche", Psyche is given ambrosia by Zeus after completing the quests which transform her from a mortal into a goddess.  Another example is Luke Skywalker in Star Wars. The elixir is the destruction of the Death Star and the medal of honor. This signifies hope, success and his rise as a hero.

What is the Significance of the "Hero's Journey"?

• Common Themes: The themes in the "Hero's Journey" mirror experience in real life of overcoming obstacles to attain personal growth.

• Story Structure: It provides a framework for personal storytelling as well as for stories like: 
• Star Wars
• The Hobbit
• The Wizard of Oz

The "Hero's Journey"and The Wizard of Oz

• The Odyssey
• The Quest For the Holy Grail
• The Alchemist
• The Hunger Games
• The Three Musketeers and many other stories.

• Transformation: The focus is on the internal change of the main character as well as the adventure.  This also applies to the psychological changes in real life.

How Can You Use the "Hero's Journey" to Cope With Big Changes in Your Life?

You can use the "Hero's Journey" to cope with change by reframing personal challenges as a narrative for growth rather than a crisis. 

The "Hero's Journey"

By identifying as a hero, rather than a victim, in your own story, you can embrace uncertainty as a "Call to Adventure", find mentors or people who can provide you with tools and emotional support, face challenges and attain newfound strength.

Key Stages of the "Hero's Journey" for Personal Change

• Reframe the Crisis as a Journey: Instead of viewing life challenges or disruptions as permanent catastrophes, see them as necessary temporary stages in a transformative journey. 

• Identify the Call to Adventure: Recognize the necessity of change as a "call" prompting you to step out of your comfort zone to begin the necessary transition.

• Identify Mentors or Allies: Recognize the people, including mentors, allies, trusted friends, mental health professionals and others, who can provide support, guidance and tools during your transition.

• "Cross the Threshold": Commit to making the change by taking small, proactive steps which help to build momentum and reduce fears of the unknown.

• Face the "Ordeal": Acknowledge that facing challenges is a necessary part of the process while allowing the "death" of old habits and the "rebirth" of a more resilient self.

• Bring Back the "Elixir": Focus on the lessons, wisdom and personal growth gained from your struggle while integrating the new strength into your "ordinary world".

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Parts Work (IFS and Ego States Therapy), Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have helped many individual adults and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

Coping With the In-Between State of Change 

How Does Imagery and Imagination Enhance Psychotherapy? 

Using Your Imagination: How Imaginal Interweaves Help to Overcome Trauma

The Power of Rituals 

Embracing Your Internal Contradictions and Paradoxes 

Developing the Courage to Change

Being Open to New Experiences 

Coping With the In-Between State of Change

The in-between state of change can be challenging because you are between an old reality that has ended and a new reality that hasn't developed yet (see my article: Navigating Life's Transitions).

Coping With the In-Between State of Change

Although that in-between state of change can feel scary and uncertain, it can also be a powerful time when many new possibilities open up for you. It all depends on how you navigate that time in your life (see my article: Opening Up to New Possibilties in Your Life).

What Are Liminal Spaces in Your Personal Life?

This in-between state is also known as a liminal space.

Liminal means occupying a place at a boundary or a threshold. 

I'll be using the terms "in-between state" and "liminal space" interchangeably in this article.

Coping With the In-Between State of Change

In psychology a liminal space is a transition or the initial stage of a process. You are at the threshold of having ended something in your life and not yet having begun the next stage.

Some examples include:

• Graduating high school but not yet starting college
• Leaving an old job and not yet starting a new job
• Letting go of an old identity but not yet establishing a new identity 
• Being in the process of moving from an old home and traveling to a new one
• Retiring for a job and not feeling comfortable yet in a new life as a retired person
• Being in the process of making a decision where the status quo no longer fits but you don't yet know what will be next
• Leaving an old relationship and not knowing what comes next 
• Grieving the death of a loved one

How Personal Liminal Space Can Affect Your Mental Health

Most of the time a personal liminal space isn't inherently negative or dangerous. 

There are exceptions, of course: If you lose your job and you don't have savings, it's understandable that you would be under a lot of stress until you find your next job.

In most other circumstances, however, it's your perception of being in an in-between state that might be affecting you.

If you respond to an in-between state as being dangerous when, objectively, it's not, you can feel overwhelmed, anxious and upset because you don't know how to cope with this stage in your life.

This might be especially true if you grew up in an environment where these types of changes were responded to with high anxiety and feelings of foreboding.

How to Cope With Liminal Spaces in Your Personal Life

Everyone experiences transitions in life. There's no way to avoid it.

Assuming that your basic needs are taken care of during a transitional time, you can learn a new way to cope with transitory periods in your life:

• Learn to Accept the In-Between State of Change: Since everyone experiences times when they are in liminal space, rather than trying to resist or deny it, learn to accept this time. Acceptance doesn't mean you like it or you will react to it in a passive way. It just means that you acknowledge that it is happening. Even though it might feel scary and uncertain and you might not be able to control the circumstances, you can control your own thoughts and reactions. For instance, you can't control the death of loved one, but you can find healthy ways to grieve the loss (see my articles: Awareness and Acceptance and Grieving and Healing From Losses).

Accept What You Can and Can't Control

• Create Routines: Creating routines can help to give you a sense of security and stability. For instance, if you have lost a job or you retired, rather than having a lot of unstructured time, create routines for sleeping and waking up, make time for hobbies, get regular exercise or go for walks in nature, etc. (see my article: Starting the Day With a Positive Intention).

Create Personal Rituals in a Mindful Way

• Create Personal Rituals: Whereas a routine is a functional, repetitive task to provide structure and efficiency to manage your life, personal rituals are intentional, meaningful actions that provide purpose, emotion and symbolism. Personal rituals are actions you create for yourself and which exist on a continuum from basic to more elaborate. You can take what might otherwise be a mundane task and create a personal ritual. For instance, if you normally drink your tea while being on "autopilot", you can drink your tea in a mindful way by enjoying the quiet of the day, breathing the aroma, feeling the warmth of the tea and noticing the taste (see my articles: The Power of Rituals and The Power of Personal Rituals).

Practice Mindfulness: Be Here Now

• Practice Mindfulness: Much of the distress of being in a transitional state comes from catastrophizing about what might happen. In retrospect, you might discover that many of your fears didn't materialize. So, to stay calm, take a pause and bring your attention to the present moment. Bring your attention to your body to focus on your breathe. If that feels too challenging, choose a color (let's say blue) and count how many things around you are the color blue. This helps you to orient yourself to your present time and place rather than worrying about what might or might not happen in the future (see my article: Being in the Present Moment).

The Hero's Journey

• Express Yourself in Creative Ways: Much of the current literature and entertainment come from "The Hero's Journey", which the American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, wrote about in his book, The Hero of a Thousand Faces. He identified as a pattern in mythology, both ancient tales and modern stories, where the protagonist travels from the "Known World" to the "Unknown World", faces challenges along the way, meets helpers and returns transformed. The creator of Star Wars, George Lukas, was influenced by "The Hero's Journey". You can also reframe a time of being in an in-between space as being on a journey from the "Known World" to the "Unknown World" and how you will be transformed along the way. You can do this by writing, storytelling or drawing.

Get Help in Therapy

• Get Help in Therapy: If you're having a difficult time coping on your own, you could benefit from working with a licensed mental health professional who can help you to cope with this difficult time. A skilled psychotherapist can help you to feel emotionally supported and to learn new skills and strategies to cope. So, rather than struggling on your own, seek help so you can live a more fulfilling life.

About Me

I am a licensed New York psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, EMDR, AEDP, EFT (for couples), Parts Work (IFS and Ego States Therapy), Somatic Experiencing and Certified Sex Therapist.

I have over 25 years of experience helping individual adults and couples to overcome trauma and navigate changes in their life.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist.

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.

Also See My Articles:

How Does Imagery and Imagination Enhance Your Life 

Overcoming Fear of Change 

Coping With Midlife Transitions

The Power of Rituals

Rituals touch our lives in so many ways. From the simple everyday rituals of our morning routines to special occasions like celebrating our birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, weddings, holidays, and other rites of passage--all of these are rituals that we can experience at various times in our lives.

The Power of Rituals

What are Rituals?
Aside from the everyday mundane rituals, what do we mean by "rituals"? Whether they are religious, civic, family, societal, or personal rituals are usually activities performed for their symbolic value and they are often meaningful to that particular group or community. For instance, most cultures have some type of ritual initiation. In Christianity, the sacrament of Communion is a form of initiation. In Judaism, there is the Bar or Bat Mitzvah. The ancient Greeks had the Eleusinian Mysteries. These ritual initiations are part of the rites of passage for these groups. They mark important transitions from one stage of life, as well as a particular stage of consciousness, to another.

Joseph Campbell
The American mythologist, Joseph Campbell, discussed the importance of rituals and initiations when he discussed the "hero's journey." He believed the "hero's journey" was a common pattern found in many societies where the "hero" goes from the every day "Known World" on a quest through the "Unknown World," which contains ordeals and struggles to overcome, in order to return to the society of the "Known World" as a mature, valued, and contributing member of the community.

Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth

Healthy rituals can provide people with a sense of structure, comfort, stability, and a sense of continuity. Children need and want healthy rituals that they can depend on. An example of this would be the nighttime ritual of a parent reading a bedtime story to a child every night. 

Children usually love hearing the same stories over and over again because they like knowing what to expect and this is also how they learn to integrate information. So, the ritual is not only that the parent spends this special time with the child, it is also about the repetition of the story.

Also, see my article: The Power of Creating Rituals

About Me

I am a licensed psychotherapist, hypnotherapist, Somatic Experiencing therapist and EMDR therapist in NYC. I work with individuals and couples.

To find out more about me, visit my website: Josephine Ferraro, LCSW - NYC Psychotherapist

To set up a consultation, call me at (917) 742-2624 during business hours or email me.