Mythology in Psychotherapy

Myths provide guidance for difficult times. They can give encouragement as we struggle to survive horrendous ordeals. In clinical work, and in one’s own journey, it is useful to study mythic stories for hope. After all, those classic heroic seekers did get through their awesome challenges. The tales also provide hints on dealing with mid-life crises or other difficult transitions. The heroic journey is a description of an initiatory adventure. In many ways, psychotherapy is an initiatory process. People seek help when their coping mechanisms fail. This is the boundary of a new country, a place they have not traveled before.

The ancient sagas provide roadmaps for people dealing with anxiety-producing experiences and the mysteries of the unconscious. The tales help with the difficult life situations that most of us don’t have the conscious resources to handle. It is useful that those who came this way before left a record of what they learned in the form of wisdom tales. We stumble into each stretch of the journey without the education to handle the formidable tasks we will confront. It is useful that those who came this way before left a record of what they learned in the form of wisdom tales. We can examine these texts for clues to our specific circumstances. That is the direct application of myth to psychotherapy.

Cinderella had to go through a long period of loss. Both of her parents died. The tale has a central theme of bereavement. This is evident in the symbolism of the ashes. Cinderella gets her name from her role of hearth-keeper. While taking care of the fireplace, gets soot and cinders all over her. Funeral traditions include “Dust to dust, ashes to ashes.” So, the ashes in the story reflect death, loss, and grieving. The cinders suggest light and passion. Many clients in psychotherapy are dealing with great losses. The story suggests that we can get through the trials but the experience will be dreadful. It will feel like an awful cruelty. Cinderella also has to deal with oppression from those with power over her, specifically her stepmother and stepsisters, who do not appreciate her qualities or existence. It is common for people to seek help for problems just like Cinderella’s. The story tells about a person surviving terrible hardship. Throughout, she holds on to a sense of hope that something good might come of her life. If the therapist mentions this familiar example it can linger in the client’s mind. It can serve as a lasting reminder that others have endured, and so can you. Because the client probably has warm feelings about the tale, it is like a comfortable old friend who is faithful during adversity. In the Cinderella parable, when the time arrives for the great ball at the palace, she is not expected to go. Her sisters make fun of her for wanting to go. She has not given up on herself even though for years her sisters have treated her like a servant. She reaches for the golden moment and good things come of it. The account is full of insights about getting through long ordeals.

The adventures of Robin Hood help us understand those who live at the margins. He comes back from war to learn that the sheriff has killed his father. The corrupt despot is going to kill him too - out of pure greed - to get the family lands. Robin Hood is an outlaw and cannot go home. He lives in the wilds. Psychologically, this suggests a time of being dislodged after a setback or great loss. The dark forest represents the unconscious - a place within us that is mysterious to us. Life circumstances may throw us into emotionally challenging situations. As in the allegory, there are various tasks to complete and hardships that we must overcome. Robin Hood has to cope with the bully of the forest. This is an example of facing the threshold guardian. There are some early challenges that we have to encounter just to get into the quest. The point of the threshold guardian is that if you can’t handle a lot of fear, then you are not ready for the journey. You will be facing enormous terrors before the tasks are completed. Your life will be at risk. If you can’t handle tough experiences, do additional preparations before you take on the challenges. Robin Hood accomplishes some extraordinary feats. One is that he pulls together a bunch of rowdy outlaws into a cohesive group, called the Merry Men. We might think of the outlaws as the competing energies within ourselves - the quarrelsome clash of different qualities, agendas, feelings, and even identities. After all, each of us has several inner personalities - that all want different things. Robin Hood takes the diverse characters and pulls together a functioning team. We all need such integration on an internal level to be effective. People going through terrible emotional turmoil such as facing challenges parallel to what Robin Hood had to confront. The tale serves as a mirror whereby people may see meaning in experiences that are so overwhelming that the benefits are hard to notice. Unpleasant events may have enormous value in terms of a person developing into a complete human being. Overcoming feelings of oppression is a task worthy of the effort.