The Once Upon Trilogy®: Archetype, Metaphor and Anti-Hero

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? Is it a child playing?

Within this three day course we explore Archetypal Energy, Metaphor and Anti Heroes and the way they can present within our clients play. Have you ever wondered about the repetitive play of your clients? The same characters being used? The same themes coming up week after week? What processes are happening? How can you become involved? When should you join in or be a silent witness?

This course will enable you to gain a deeper understanding of how Archetypes, metaphor and Anti-heroes become powerful concepts within your client work. When you are the observer of your client play, watching a play narrative unfold this course will help you to consider these concepts to gain a deeper understanding of your clients process and the transference which arises.

What to expect when we explore these individual topics. 

Day one: The Archetype 

We will be exploring fairy stories and the way they have used archetypes to shape our psyche through our history. We will discover the recurring themes that create the stories that resonate with us and our clients and can bring healing through the unconscious.

The archetype is a character type, storyline, or event that is notably recurrent across history and the human experience. In the arts, an archetype creates a sense of familiarity, allowing an audience member to easily comprehend an event or character. Come and discover how the ancient stories touch our hearts, souls and psyche

During the day we will walk through the woods with wolves and bears. Giants will haunt us and witches will die. Princes will rescue and maidens will find the resources and resilience to defeat even the most ugly of characters.

Day two: Metaphor

Metaphor, the qualities of one thing are figuratively carried over to another.

Metaphor is the safest and most comforting agent of change. We will adventure into the realms of fables and morality plays, listen to the wisdom of stuffed bears and small donkeys. Travel back in time to find the remarkable origins of metaphor and spring back to apply it to our real world experience. “Therapeutic metaphor can help create an atmosphere for change and help clients see things from a different perspective” O’Hanlon (1987).

Our clients use metaphor as a safe way of telling their own complex and sometimes disturbing stories. From behind a puppet or a symbol or a mask or a doll’s house our clients can become one place removed from their reality and share the secrets of their soul.

Within therapy we give children the opportunity to create tangible stories through the use of the therapeutic resources available to them.

Day three: The Anti-Hero. 

During this day we will explore the complex character. The characters that are shades of grey rather than simply heroes or villains. We will wonder where the light and the shadow meet. 

What is a hero? A villain? An anti-hero? What role does the sidekick play? What are the origin stories and how do our clients’ origin stories contribute to their character traits? 

Join us and discover our stories do not need to make us victims. Through the therapeutic journey our clients can become thrivers and survivors. We will POW! SMASH! and ZAP our way to exploring the virtues of Justice, Courage, Wisdom and Transcendence! Discover your own super hero or villain or both.

“To penetrate the darkness we must summon all the powers of enlightenment that consciousness can offer” Jung (1931).