A hero’s journey begins in Ellwangen

The stories we read during our childhood impact us on both conscious and unconscious levels. Male and female heroes become our idols and shape our view of the world. Unfortunately these heroes often follow mainstream ideas and stereotypes, making it more difficult for children from diverse backgrounds to identify with them. But what happens when children create their own heroes and become the authors of their journey?

If a child can truly identify with a hero figure who overcomes difficult situations rather than being a victim, this can shift their perspective enormously. The idea and stages of the hero’s journey were initially popularised by Joseph Campbell and have subsequently been used by many therapists and counsellors to support children in overcoming adversity.

Together with Berthold Engelke (Bodensee Institut für Traumapädagogik) a training seminar for the children’s village Marienpflege Ellwangen was developed. The children come from various backgrounds. Currently they all live in the care of the village. The seminar aims to train them in creating their own characters and storylines through playful and creative activities. The material of the evolving stories will be gathered throughout the seminar and processed into a publication. Stay tuned for more details.

The seminar was supposed to take place in December 2020. It had to be postponed due to Covid-19 regulations. An update will be posted as soon as possible.