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Return & Contribution |
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Hero's
Journey
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After completing our Youth Conference for the International Transpersonal
Association annual conference in Ireland, the mother of a teen boy came up
to me. She said, "Jeez, Bret, you're a whiz with teens.
What is it you do, anyway?"
I found I was
unable to tell her. I couldn't seem to put a finger on what it was
exactly I did that seemed to work so well..... |
Individuals
I realized at that moment I hadn't really thought or
synthesized my approaches, and during a long flight back home, it came to
me. Familiar with the Hero's Journey model, I realized that I tend to
overlay the model on each individual teen I work with. More than that,
however, I look at different levels of a youth to see where they might be at
different stages of the Hero's Journey in their lives. In essence, I
create a 3-D model with varying stages at varying levels. It's kind of
like the 3-D chess Kirk and Spock played on the original Star Trek series.
For example, a youth might be at a certain stage in his or
her overall journey, i.e. the Call to Adventure. This would mean that he
or she has woken up to the concept that new ideas, beliefs and thoughts are
required. Perhaps, though, he is balking at the difficulty of getting
sober, stopping lying, or not running from his problems. In his overall
life, that is the stage and dynamics I would focus on.
What struck me on that plane flight was how I look for parts
of a youth's life where he or she might be further ahead. First, I want
them to experience success at a further stage, no matter how small or simple
that might be. Then, of course, I want to point out that success to him,
so he can experience and recognize how that feels.
We once had a
boy in a group home who, although he had been abusing drugs, cutting school,
getting arrested, etc., still managed to become an Explorer Scout. The
group home had a wilderness treatment model, and was about to go camping soon
after he arrived. Although he was the newest boy in the home, and on one
level the most 'asleep,' he quickly displayed his camping skills at first
opportunity. Since he is capable of Return and Contribution in this one
area, I would try to set him up to experience it as often as possible. I
would also try to help him discover how it feels to help others, to teach
something he is good at. This is how you help him grow, and bring the
success he feels at a lower level up toward his overall journey.
Organizations
The Hero's
Journey can also be used as a group or program treatment model. An agency,
group home, or even foster homes can weave the model into their existing
program. Components of a program or sequences of promotion in residential
care can simply be framed so they follow the path of the journey. For
example, a youth who completes his time in placement should be nudged/forced to
give back somehow, perhaps speaking to a class of younger children of his
experiences. Rather than ending his placement at his Culmination, the
original, more healthy final stage has been reached: Return and Contribution.
And, of course, the 3-D model can also be woven into an
existing program, working the classic Hero's Journey dynamics at all
levels. Let's take a look 3-D model...
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Back to
top
| The top layer represents
where the adolescent is on his/her overall journey in
life. Is he asleep to his real problems? Has he
woken up, but still struggles with his Call? Does he
realize the challenge but won't accept guidance?
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| The next level represents
where he/she is on a smaller level. For example, a new boy
in a group home has snowboarding skills he can share with more
senior peers who don't have those skills. This allows him
to experience Return, at least at a micro level.
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| At yet another level, he
refuses to take advice or input from counselors, teachers,
mentors, etc. Thus, this is the aspect of his program you
would focus on.
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| Here, the youth has done
well and is close to completion of some sort, but is stuck in
having trouble dealing with the challenges still left. |
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For more
information on using the Hero's Journey,
contact Bret.
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