Creative Counselling
Julie Cunningham
The Heroine's Journey:
Memoir, Collage, Mixed Media & Journalling
We’ve all seen the hero’s journey portrayed over and over in movies. The lone protagonist, challenged, faces obstacles, almost fails, only to rise, overcome the antagonist and win the prize, whatever it is. Rarely do we see the heroine’s journey or if we do, we may not recognise it. It just feels different.
Knowing about the heroine's journey is vital for us human becomings, now. Why? The hero figure too easily morphs into a saviour figure who, leveraging off the archetype, seduces whole populations, AKA Trump (“making America great again”) or Putin cultivating his hero image in various ways, like bare-chested horse back riding, later leading his country into a terrible unjustified war.
Further, we need to celebrate the qualities displayed within the heroine's story, enacted by any gender, as these archetypal patterns are not gender exclusive. A woman, or any LGBTQ + character can enact the hero's or the heroine’s journey. Harry Potter for instance shows key differences to the hero in action. Harry’s strength is reinforced by being with his buddies and his networks. He is most vulnerable when isolated, asks for help when he needs it, and his enemies are transformed rather than killed. Humour and kindness are sprinkled throughout the story. These aspects are some of the differences between the story patterns of the hero and heroine.
In the Heroine’s Journey course, we explore and celebrate the heroine’s story pattern within our own and each other’s lives. Further, the roots of the Heroine’s story structure are as ancient as Goddesses, so their myths are referenced, offering a deep-time story framework.
In each session, there is a short discussion and meditation on that stage's theme. This sets the scene. A short journalling process follows and then the longer collaging process. The sessions also involve introductions to collage and mixed media techniques, a lunch gathering, and an invitation for shared reflection at the end.
The next course is being offered in Berry NSW, in January 2025 through to early Feb.
The investment is $ 450. Concessions are available.
Please register your interest if this timing doesn't work as there will be other groups/times.
This would be a beautiful gift to yourself or a loved one.
What participants said about the HJ course January 2024.
Judith
The process was such a gentle and safe one that I felt completely able to explore areas of myself that I have wanted to for years.
The story & meditation allowed me to settle into a grounded place. Additionally the myths engaged ideas and feelings that already existed and helped me express them.
Janet
Referencing the Heroine’s Journey gave structure to my memories and allowed reflection on the universal journey and how our experiences are a part of a well worn path.
The meditation was really useful, allowing the time for our thoughts to settle and our inner world to emerge.
Responding to different images in the collaging process helped me express feelings and reactions without the need to draw. I also enjoyed finding papers that allowed me to express a mood or create my image.
The HJ workshop was a vehicle to help me release my self-directed creativity. Previously my art experiences have been mostly directed. The use of collage and freedom to express what arose was invaluable.
Fran
I really enjoyed the workshop. I was surprised about the direction it took for me as despite having a bit going on in recent years there wasn't anything in particular that was uppermost in my mind when we began.
It was also surprising to see how my collaging varied and developed over the 5 weeks! I've definitely benefited from some other art activities in terms of learning to play with materials and images, and trying to follow rather than force a form to emerge.
I really liked the way the collaging process worked, by-passing the need to explain anything and just going straight to images that appealed for whatever reason. Then the process of working with those brought clarity and form to the abstract feelings and thoughts.
I did quite a lot of writing during the week following each workshop as for myself I found I was still processing and developing the ideas behind the collage that I was working on. Even though I was mainly just finalising the arrangement and form of the images I'd selected on the workshop day I was resolving a lot in the background as I did that.
