Exploring the Heroine’s Journey through Stories & Myths using Drama Therapy 

Overview

The module refers to Maureen Murdock’s book ‘The Heroine’s Journey: Women’s Quest for Wholeness’ as an archetypal map to journey into and heal the deep wounding of our feminine nature on a personal, cultural and spiritual level. The journey begins with an initial separation from the feminine to fit into the roles in a masculine-defined culture. Although s/he might armour the self to accommodate societal expectations, often operating within acceptable transgressions and patriarchal negotiations to win accolades, and reach great heights. Faced by challenges of stifling limitation and dependency, she travels through the roads of trails and illusionary boons of success. Wandering and lost in her inner landscape, struck by grief and rage. The nurturer, the caregiver, the keeper and the holder experience spiritual aridity. S/he slowly learns to listen deeply to her soul, and gathers her lost parts and begins to nurture her body, her soul and reclaim her feelings, intuition, sexuality, creativity and humour. S/he begins to identify the disowned, wounded parts of her masculine nature and gently learns to re-member and integrate with this emerging self. Finding a balance for a slow, subtle integration of the feminine and masculine aspects.

The module explores the stages of the heroine’s journey using dramatherapy structures of story and myth to develop and integrate a relational and supportive language to hold internal processes. Stories, fairy tales and myths use the language of image and symbol as projective structures, which can be incorporated for therapeutic processes with the self and with clients.

‘When a myth is enacted in a ritual performance or, in more general, simpler and profaner fashion, when a fairy-tale is told, the healing factor within it acts on whoever has taken an interest in it and allowed himself to be moved by it in such a way that through his participation he will be brought into connection with an archetypal form of the situation and by this means enabled to put himself “into order”. Archetypal dreams can have the same effect.’ Jung, E. (1986)

Heroine’s Journey using Stories & Myths is open to adults who have some training or experience in using the arts / creative processes for self and in client work.

Drama therapy using stories and myths involves exploring traditional tales, legends, and personal narratives to help individuals connect with universal themes and archetypes. Myths and folktales provide symbolic frameworks that can mirror personal struggles, offering a deeper understanding and a sense of shared human experience. This approach can be especially powerful for healing, transformation, and personal growth.