Thresholds of affliction: The heroic journey of healing

The methodology of this study is a hermeneutic and imaginal one that captures the mythological threads that are the foundation of healing. Discovering and integrating these archetypal and psychic energies with those who are seriously ill and with their caregivers, is the focus of this dissertation.;This study explores the question: Is it conceivable that illness is a portal or gateway through which to embark both on a heroic journey and sacred pilgrimage which leads to an experience of transformation and healing? The resources researched and used in this study include works in depth psychology, mythology, and spirituality. Explored are insights from C. G. Jung, James Hillman, and Joseph Campbell on the hero archetype as well as the mythology of various cultures and the spiritual literature of Christianity and world religions.;Findings include the belief that illness initiates the crossing of a threshold and a descent into the liminal space of "betwixt and between." Within this liminal space of restoration and healing, patient and caregiver embark on a journey that utilizes the archetypal energies of the hero and wounded-healer. Different themes, images, and motifs from a range of world mythologies and spiritual traditions guide the embodied imaginations of both caregiver and patient as partners involved in the journey. The psychic energies of imaging, reflecting "bit by bit," and the creative actions of listening and responding to the spiritual guides that emerge in the process further the mythic movement of soul-making.;In reviewing the significance of this journey for the caregiver and the one being served, it becomes evident that they participate in a pilgrimage of transformation and healing. The archetype of the hero becomes integrated within the broader archetype of the wounded-healer. The interplay and unique relationship between caregiver and the one who is ill in acknowledging woundedness is the key to discovering the healer function of each. The implications of this study provide opportunities to prevent burnout, compassion fatigue, and feelings of being dispirited because of a lack of authentic human connection and interactions.