Co-authored with Galit Romanelli, M.A.

"The goal of the hero’s journey is yourself finding yourself." Joseph Campbell

Change is difficult. One famous blueprint for transformation is Joseph Campbell’s The Hero’s Journey. This monomyth outlines a universal pattern found worldwide in tales about human change.

The journey begins with a call to adventure that launches the hero on a journey into the unknown. Through trials, revelations, and transformation, the hero experiences death and rebirth. The hero ultimately returns home with newfound wisdom. For decades, this powerful model has inspired individuals to embark on meaningful change.

But what about changing intimate relationships?

A long-term committed intimate relationship is a complex, interconnected, and synergistic entity that is constantly evolving. Therefore, systemic change is a multi-faceted endeavor requiring a more nuanced approach.

As couples therapists, we have spent years integrating the hero’s journey with systemic thinking to create a holistic relational blueprint for navigating the challenging terrain of deep, long-lasting relational change. The relational hero is the partner who initiates the process of reimagining the relationship.

There are three major stages to the relational hero’s journey: Departure, initiation, and return.

In the separation stage of the hero's journey, the hero answers the call to adventure, leaving behind their familiar world to embark on a quest filled with challenges and uncertainties.

In systemic thinking, the hero must leave the couple’s homeostasis, the relational "dance" that partners co-create and........

© Psychology Today