A Writing Method That Actually Helps A Lot Of Psychologists
You’ve likely been raised on fairy tales, just the same as most of us have.
Regardless of where we are from or even what decade we were born in, children and stories often go hand in hand.
The reason behind this is a very natural one - fairy tales are a way of teaching values, sharing ideas, and stimulating imagination on a conscious and subconscious level.
They often help the adults who are writing them just the same way they help the children reading them, albeit one of the groups rarely admits to their effect.
Regardless of that, some stories have definitely made a lasting impression on each of us.
Here we focus on a particular tool, inspired by stories, that helps many psychologists in their work with all sorts of patients.
And the best thing about it is anyone can use it as a way to organize our thoughts, to share something we want, or just to pass some time exploring our imagination.
So keep reading to find out how it works.
The Basics
The method is called “the Hero’s journey,” and it’s based on the very popular structure of this type of story.
For the purposes of this article, we will talk about the method’s usage by psychologists.
However, keep in mind it can be used as a source of inspiration for anything creative.
What is needed to apply this technique is a specific story or time period we want to focus on, a piece of paper, a pen, and a little bit of time.
Here we will separate each writing part, giving it a brief explanation, to make sure every aspect is clearly understood and can be applied by professionals with the same ease as by everyone else.
The Hero
This is the main character of the story we are telling. In nearly all cases, this is also the person who's describing the hero's journey itself.
It’s important to not give too much detail about this character, seeing as they are the ones who we are learning more about through this technique and as such shouldn’t have too many preset frames.
The Call
Here is where the story itself starts. In order to apply this technique in the best way, it’s good to have a designated time period or event on which we want to focus, instead of a broad idea or unspecified time.
The Call is what sparked the event we will describe happening.
The Refusal
This is the time before the journey itself starts when some initial doubts occur.
Seeing as it doesn't always happen, it’s not a mandatory part of the story, but in case the person has had some obstacles or inner questions and doubts, they should be described here.
The Mentor
This is the second character we describe. The mentor is someone who helped the hero along the way, maybe showed them the beginning steps, or sparked their interest regarding the event we are describing.
The mentor is also not mandatory but is often a part of such stories, and they appear almost always during the previous two steps.
The Road Of Travels
This is the part of the story in which the hero enters an unknown environment or one which he has to change in some way.
This is the point in which the space, time, and surrounding factors of the changes are described, as well as the actions the hero takes in order to achieve their goal.
It is also where obstacles, enemies, and allies appear for the first time. Each of these things should be described by the hero, as well as how they were feeling and what they were thinking while encountering them.
The Ordeal
This is the biggest challenge for the hero. Here the person describes the pivot point in the story, the moment that was most difficult, why it happened as well as what feelings and thoughts the hero was going through during that time.
The Rebirth
This is the way the hero fights through their biggest obstacle. The methods he used, the support he had, and the way it happened are all described in this part.
It is also important to focus on what happened with the environment and how the fight and consequent change made the hero feel.
The Road Back
This part is dedicated to how the hero returns to their normal state and environment.
It may include a so-called “battle with a brother” where the hero describes how the people from the known world react to the changes that happened.
The Reward
This is the moment where the hero describes why the entire story happened, what it was all for as well as what they received in the end.
How, why, and by whom they were recognized and rewarded, and what will they keep with them as a lesson.
The Celebration
This is the final part of the story, and it describes how the hero celebrated his achievements as well as how he felt after the changes had happened.
The Benefits
This is the base of the method.
It has multiple applications for various occasions and all of them are reliant on who is writing and who is reading.
The event being described can also be of importance depending on what it is.
For instance, if a psychologist is the one reading, they can ask follow-up questions and focus on certain underlying issues that would be difficult to notice by someone with less experience.
They can also ask for further details or even a rewrite but with specific points to focus on or from a different perspective.
What this method does is help focus or refocus on specific aspects of a story, thanks to the questions it lays out.
From the writer’s point of view, it can be either a relaxing or an invigorating experience depending on the topic in question and the way they feel about it.
Final Thoughts
All in all, this writing method can have multiple uses and be of help to people from all walks of life.
The reason why is simple - it provides the writer with just enough guidance so as to help them start and keep them focused without setting too many boundaries.
Depending on the specific situation and the person reading “The Hero’s Journey” can be anything from a fun story-telling method to a tool for deep analysis of the person or event in question.
This is why we decided to share it with you - it has inspired so many people, and we are sure it can do the same for you.
So what are you waiting for - start writing and share your stories with us!