This interactive workshop will explore how myth and story have always been reflective of the foibles and tragedies of human existence. We'll look at a number of consistent psychological problems, individual and societal, that appear throughout most times and cultures and note the stories that explain their origin and/or reveal how people have dealt with them.

Techniques such as soul retrieval, chop-up-and-re-join cauldron ceremonies, initiation rites, and death rituals will be examined, along with the stories that accompany them.

We'll discuss selected films, TV shows, and games that feature aspects of the Dark Side and the Shadow and how to deal with them in order to compare their efficacy with the mythic tools of the past.

In open discussion, therapists and healers who use story or media in their work will be asked to contribute examples and insights.

Based on what we know worked in the past, we'll brainstorm ideas for new media content and delivery systems to promote individual and societal well-being.