Slaying the Dragon: Teens Embark on the Hero's Journey in the Wilderness

By Meghan Vivo

The word "hero" means different things to different people - you may think of Robin Hood, Superman, the Dalai Lama, Einstein, Jesus, the firemen on 9/11, or even your mom or dad.

What makes a hero? Can only certain people become heroes? Is the honor reserved only for dragon slayers, destroyers of evil empires, and rescuers of the suffering? Many people believe we are all the heroes of our own mythical adventures. And though frustrated parents of adolescents aren't likely to see their misbehaving son or daughter as a hero, many teens follow the unpredictable and often wearisome path of the hero's journey, as described by Joseph Campbell in his book Hero with a Thousand Faces.

According to Campbell, "A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself." The hero's journey follows a series of stages, beginning with the departure and initiation, and ending with a return. The hero's challenge is to excel beyond his perceived limitations and leave his childhood behind to bring forth a future that is richer, wiser, and more beneficial to the world around him.

When an adolescent enrolls in a wilderness therapy program, she becomes the protagonist of her own adventure. "We liken the experience of going out into the wilderness to the hero's journey," says Gil Hallows, executive director of Aspen Achievement Academy, one of the oldest and most reputable wilderness therapy programs in the country. "In all parts of the world, in all societies, and in all periods of time, people have sent their youth out on a journey of self-discovery to come to terms with who they are and what their contributions can be to society and their family."

The 'Call to Adventure'>
According to Joseph Campbell, the hero's journey begins with a "call to adventure." Some event calls the hero on a quest, away from his comfortable life and into a strange world controlled by unknown forces. In many cases, the would-be hero resists the call to leave his home and his childhood to venture out into the unfamiliar, but a supernatural guide or essential item (like a sword or source of encouragement) impels him to step into the unknown.

For today's teens, the call to adventure often is the realization by the adolescent or her family members that life isn't what it should be and that she must explore other options before she causes irreparable damage to herself and others. The teen, or hero, must accept the challenge to grow, by accepting the invitation to attend a wilderness program, in order to resolve the crisis. For many, the first few days of a wilderness program are filled with resentment, rebellion, and refusal to accept the call. "As is true in the mythological story, the teen may not necessarily want to be challenged in this way - sometimes she is called against her will and even nudged out the door," explains Hallows. "At the start of wilderness therapy, some students may try to leave or make life miserable for everyone around them. But with the encouragement of family, peers, and their wilderness instructors and therapists, teens begin to commit to the program and accept the opportunity to change."

The 'Road of Trials'
Once the hero accepts the call to adventure, albeit begrudgingly, he undergoes a "road of trials" that will test him and reveal to him his true nature. The demands made of the hero push him to the brink - he is stripped of his old defenses and coping skills and is humbled by the forces at work around him. As he concentrates every ounce of his energy on a resolution, he discovers his deeply held beliefs and values and gains the wisdom of experience.

Although the mythological road of trials is made up of ogres, demons, and three-headed monsters, today's teenage hero faces obstacles like overcoming his use of alcohol, drugs, or other addictive and high-risk behaviors. His battle is with himself.

At Aspen Achievement Academy, a JCAHO accredited wilderness therapy program, adolescents experience rites of passage like solos in the wilderness that help them process and overcome these hurdles. In the hero's journey, these rites of passage take the protagonist out of his comfort zone and into the unknown, where he must face a series of obstacles on his own, drawing from his own internal resources and discovering his strength.

Sitting in silence and reflecting on the poor choices of the past, teens begin to realize that, if they allow it to, the wilderness experience can help them enhance their relationships and enrich their lives. The series of "deaths" and "rebirths" the teen encounters in the wilderness is his metaphorical initiation into adulthood.

Although parents are often reluctant to create any discomfort in their children's lives, there has to be some rigor in the hero's journey, according to Hallows, or there will be no growth. "The would-be hero must encounter obstacles along the way," he says.

"I often see the greatest progress in students after someone has drawn a boundary with them or they have gone through some sort of struggle," explains Lynn Anne Madory, a therapist at Aspen Achievement Academy. "Parents get nervous when their child has a tough week, but that's when the growth happens. I get really uneasy if kids come here and go up and up and up because something is not authentic about their experience. This is truly the hero's journey, and there are bound to be some bumps along the way."

When the hero musters his courage and calls upon his strength and skill to overcome the obstacles in front of him, he discovers he is not alone. "In most journeys, the hero isn't left alone to confront his demons - he has helpers who stand by his side and give him encouragement and sustenance," says Hallows. "That's the role of our field instructors and therapists, as well as the students' peers. We put a lot of stock in the concept of peer leadership and work to create a positive peer culture that supports each teen as he faces his trials."

Together with his "supernatural helpers," the hero can accomplish feats that once seemed impossible. With every success he achieves, he is strengthened and empowered to complete his transformation.

The Hero's Return
When all tasks have been completed, the hero returns home with an expanded vision of life, a matured understanding of herself, and lessons that will enrich her family and her community.

"It's remarkable the kind of change you can see in just seven weeks in the wilderness," says Hallows. "These kids arrive at Aspen angry, confused, unhappy, and rebellious. They don't know who they really are or what gifts they have to give. But somewhere in the middle of those seven weeks, they catch a glimpse of who they are and what they're capable of doing."

After crossing the threshold back into the "ordinary world," the hero has become the best of himself and is welcomed home by his family and community. "The bigger society - in the case of wilderness therapy, the family - has to place value on the teen's coming of age experience. And they must honor the hero upon his return," explains Hallows.

Parents don't always understand the journey their child is on at the start of a wilderness therapy program, but they come to see it eventually, says Hallows. "At first, the family is in crisis. They want us to straighten out their child's bad behavior so that the family can be at peace again," he says. "But what we're really doing is giving teens a sense of identity and purpose by challenging them to embark on this journey. And during the process, the high-risk, self-destructive behaviors fade away."

Becoming the Hero of Your Journey
Throughout human history, young people have taken part in traditional rites of passage and ceremonial events to mark their transition from childhood to adulthood. In many modern societies, these customs and transitions have largely disappeared, and many young people struggle with immaturity and rebellion well into their twenties and thirties. In a society where traditional rites of passage are but a memory of the past, wilderness therapy programs can offer the fundamental experiences that have been lost.

Hallows explains, "The wilderness experience gives teens a rare opportunity to take this powerful journey. And the fact that teenagers are so hungry for this kind of transformational journey is illustrated by the profound gains they make - gains that are often permanent. Our young people are hungry for healthy, productive ways to discover what is missing from their lives so they no longer seek their purpose in unhealthy ways." Wilderness therapy is more than therapy - it is a voyage of self-exploration in which teens are asked to take responsibility for their lives and become the hero of their own journey.

In the words of author D. M. Dooling, "How terrible to think of not being the hero of one's own life. This is the role for which each of us is cast, no matter how unsuccessfully we play it. ... Man is not here on earth by accident but for a purpose, and that whatever that purpose may be, it demands from him the discovery of his own meaning, his own totality and identity. A human being is born to set out on this quest, his quest, like a Knight of Arthur's court."

Featured Articles