HERO’S JOURNEY The hero’s journey is a common narrative archetype or story template.

An archetype refers to any image, symbol, pattern, or presentation that occurs and reoccurs in any type of narrative, regardless of place, time, and origin. The form and presentation may vary, but the essential symbol and meaning are similar. So, to some degree, they are fixed and universal since they can be found almost anywhere and in any culture.

From a young age, we see, hear, and feel these archetypes reflected in stories such as fairytales to movies we may watch or be aware of, such as Star Wars, Harry Potter, The Hunger Games, Shrek, Toy Story, and Mulan. According to Joseph Campbell, a scholar of myth studies, all forms of archetypal narratives involve a hero who goes on an adventure, or a quest and learns a lesson, wins a victory with that newfound knowledge, and then returns home transformed. This standard path of the mythological hero represents the rites of passage; separation-initiation-and return, an inward and outward journey.

In most fairy tales, there are usually heroes or protagonists, mostly presented as simple and innocent individuals, who are separated from their ordinary life and must undergo certain tests to achieve their stage of initiation and then return as different individuals.

Using the example of Shrek, the hero’s journey is a common story structure that takes place in basically three stages. First, the hero’s ordinary life is disrupted by a call for adventure - Shrek loses his land and needs to reclaim it. Second, the hero must overcome ordeals and defeat enemies during their quest - Lord Farquhar, the dragon, and the townspeople. Finally, they return home transformed - Shrek returns to his own land with his bride Fiona, the princess. The hero’s journey demonstrates that change is possible for everyone. It shows us that ordinary people can overcome adversity and defeat enemies or fears. With some help, they can affect the world in some way.

The hero’s journey in real life is personal. It is about you and the ‘here I am now’ moment. Strengths and challenges which are unique to you and that no one else in the world possesses, break through the adversity, which is really us in our transformation. It is little wonder we fear the first steps and our whole body is terrified as we launch on the journey. The ordeal of meeting the dragon is the biggest test yet and a transformative event that affects how the hero goes forward on their journey. This confrontation has the highest stakes, and it’s part of the central conflict. Here we face many emotions such as fear, hopelessness, and anger. Emotional crises usually take us into dark and painful places; however, transformation takes place toward self-awareness and emotional growth.

Early ancestors experienced hero stories that calmed fears, buoyed their spirits, nourished their hopes, and fostered important values of strength and resilience. Life now had greater purpose and meaning. No doubt, humans today are no different from our early ancestors.

Tales of heroes tell our consciousness about the greater things in life. It can be any hero you hear about, but they all have one thing in common; they never give up and they motivate people along the way.

So, you may ask why I am telling you about the hero’s journey. A hero’s journey story provides a soothing psychological function for our wounds, calms our fears, invigorates spirits, nourishes our hopes, and fosters important values of courage, strength, and resilience. Hero stories served at least three important energising functions for early man, and for humans in the 21st century too. Hero stories heal psychic wounds, inspire us to action, and promote personal growth.

(Reference: Campbell, Joseph. The Hero with a Thousand Faces. 3rd ed., New World Library, 2012)

Julie Thomas MCouns, BPsychSC, BEd(ECTeach) Member of Australian Counselling Association Member of WPATH

Freckles, age spots, sunspots, liver spots or plain old pigmentation; whatever you call it, irregular skin discolouration is common and can be a distressing problem caused by factors such as sun damage, some inflammatory skin disorders and hormonal fluctuations.

In its various forms, pigmentation affects more than 80 percent of people in their lifetime.

Pigmentation simply means colouring. Skin pigmentation disorders affect skin colour. Normally, your skin gets its colour from a pigment called melanin. Special cells in the body called melanocytes create this pigment when these cells become stimulated or damaged with UV exposure. Essentially the melanocyte creates a dark “hat” to protect the cell from this UV damage.

Pigmentation refers to changes in the melanin (pigment) of your skin, but there are different types and they do not all respond to the same treatments. It goes without saying that correct diagnosis of the type of pigmentation you’re experiencing is essential if you’re to benefit from treatment and topical protocols.

Common types of pigmentation

• Freckles – Genetics and sun exposure.

• Solar lentigines - Sun damage and exposure

• Melasma – Hormonal and medication and Mandelic acids work very well to break down the cluster of pigmented fibres in the skin. Picosecond Laser treatment works very well as this penetrates deeper into the skin, where the pigment is sitting. Tinted sunscreens are also recommended for skins diagnosed with Melasma.

• Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation –Scarring, picking and genetics.

Pigmentation needs to be treated by a highly trained skin therapist. In the wrong hands, and with the wrong treatment, the pigmentation could get worse. As with all specialised skin treatments, it is important to find a clinic with experienced practitioners who understand exactly which type of pigmentation you have in order to deliver the best results possible.

Light-based therapies such as IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) and LED are highly effective on most superficial conditions such as, sunspots, broken capillaries, redness and uneven skin texture. It can also improve the overall tone and texture of the skin, as well as treating fine lines by creating a more plumped up appearance.