From Hero to Heroine: Examining Archetypes in Healthcare

My friend recently sent me a book called The Heroine’s Journey by Gail Carriger. I've been working on writing a novel, and the book is meant to be a practical guide for screenwriters and storytellers.

I loved it, and it definitely supported my writing.

But what I didn't expect? 

That the book would change my healthcare practice.

The Problem with the Hero in Healthcare

As an alternative healthcare practitioner, I've always felt something was off about the traditional medical model: the doctor is the hero, swooping in to save the day. In this model, patients are reduced to supporting characters in the doctor's heroic narrative.

And don't get me wrong: this can happen as easily in an alternative medical context as it can in a traditional medical context. Acupuncturists, chiropractors, naturopaths…I’ve also been guilty of this mindset in the past. 

But this model serves nobody well. It doesn't serve patients, who abandon their inner authority to the heroics of the doctor. And it doesn't serve doctors, who live with the pressure of needing to save the day, at the expense of their own health and well-being.

Thankfully, I think there's another way.

Hero vs. Heroine: Understanding the Difference

First of all, Carriger makes it very clear: A hero and a heroine can be any gender. They're simply archetypes stories tend to follow. Heros and heroines can be any expression of gender.

Let’s explore some of these common storylines:

Hero's Journey

In the classic Hero's Journey, popularized by Joseph Campell, the protagonist chooses to leave home, refuses help, and works alone. The hero fights solo battles, seeks divine aid, claims individual glory, and returns transformed – but often isolated.

Here are some of the common story beats:

• Hero chooses to leave/start journey

• Works alone by choice

• Divine/supernatural aid comes directly

• Faces trials in isolation

• Victory through individual combat/strength

• Return brings glory/fame

• Network is a liability/distraction

• Success measured through conquest

• Boon is individual power/achievement

Take Luke Skywalker, the archetypal hero. In the original Star Wars trilogy, he goes through these steps repeatedly. But in the recent Star Wars: The Last Jedi from 2017, Rey has to search for him. Why? Luke left. He's isolated and alone, unable to return to the life he once knew.

The classic hero’s tale.

The Heroine's Path

The Heroine's Journey presents a fundamentally different paradigm. This is where I saw my own healing experiences, and the healing experience I long to encourage for my clients:

• The heroine doesn't choose to leave – life throws her into chaos

• Family tries to help but can't solve everything

• She has to build her own network and community

• Her strength comes from connection rather than isolation

• She's in the greatest danger when she's alone (!!!)

• The journey emphasizes adaptation over conquest

• She’s not interested in rewards or retribution; she’s interested in reconciliation and wholeness

• There’s often compromise involved

Stories That Show Us The Way

Looking at popular media helps us understand these patterns. Here are some clear examples:

The Hero's Journey:

• Star Wars (Luke) - Solo champion, refuses aid

• Dune (Paul) - Chosen one, solitary power

• The Lion King - Exile and lone return as a hero

• Batman - Rejects help, works in isolation, ends up alone again and again

• Moana - Individual destiny, receives divine aid (Maui), faces final battle alone

• Wonder Woman - Leaves her home island and saves the day

The Heroine's Journey:

• Twilight Series- Creating alliances, negotiated peace

• Everything, Everywhere All at Once - Healing relationships, collective understanding

• The Dragon Prince series (I love this kid's show!) - Building alliances, shared resolution

• Six of Crows - Found family, overcoming differences, more teamwork and compromise

• Ancient Myths (Demeter, Isis, Inanna) - Community aid, shared healing

• The Lego Batman Movie - Batman literally learns he can’t be a hero without a villian, and relies on teamwork and connection to restore peace

Notice how the heroine's stories focus on community building, delegation, compromise and sustainable change - exactly what we need in healthcare.

Why This Matters for Your Health

In my clinical experience, empowered healing follows the heroine's path. 

You – the client – are the protagonist of your own healing story, not a side character in your doctor's narrative.

Your practitioner is part of your support network, one of many allies in your journey.

As the heroine of your story:

• Your healing isn't about a single dramatic intervention

• It's about building a sustainable network of support

• The "victory" isn't about conquering illness (though recovery may happen along the way)

• Sometimes healing requires compromise – adjusting your diet, lifestyle, making time for acupuncture, or taking herbs

• You develop a council of support rather than relying on a single practitioner for miraculous cures

• The miracles come from within you, and your innate power to guide yourself towards healing

• There’s an overall sense of grace, patience, and wholeness

Research Backs This Up

Research increasingly supports this community-based approach. Studies show that patients with strong social support networks experience:

• Better treatment adherence

• Improved health outcomes

• Lower rates of depression and anxiety

• Faster recovery times

• Higher quality of life measures

This is also true for longevity; most of the research on Blue Zones emphasizes that people with strong social networks live longer, happier lives.

What This Looks Like in Practice

When clients come to see me, many have seen the heroic model fail.

During your sessions, over a period of time, we might examine:

• Who's already in your corner

• What other practitioners might complement your healing journey

• How to build sustainable practices that work with your real life

• Taking up space and asking for help

• Expressing what you need to others

• Seeing yourself as a heroine, and your body's desire to heal itself

• Understanding you don't have to do it alone; in fact, isolation might be making things worse

Becoming the Heroine of Your Own Story

Even if we never work together, you can begin embracing the heroine's journey. Here's some ideas:

1. Map Your Current Network

•    List everyone who supports your health journey

•    Include healthcare providers, friends, family, and online communities

•    Note what each person or resource contributes

2. Identify Gaps in Support

•    What kinds of support are you missing?

•    Which areas of your health need more attention?

•    What resources (free or paid) might fill these gaps?

3. Build Your Community

•    Research complementary practitioners

•    Ask for referrals from trusted providers

•    Join support groups related to your health concerns

•    Consider both conventional and holistic approaches

•    Share resources with others on similar journeys

4. Create Sustainable Systems

•    Start a health journal to track patterns

•    Set up regular check-ins with your support network

•    Establish daily routines that support your wellbeing

•    Plan for both good days and challenging ones (look up Spoon Theory! So helpful!)

5. Develop Your Communication Skills

•    Practice articulating your needs clearly

•    Learn to advocate for yourself in medical settings

•    Share your experiences with others when appropriate

•    Practice asking for and receiving help

• Seek out professional support from mental health professionals, as needed

When Magic Happens

When we embrace the heroine's journey in healthcare, something shifts.

Instead of fighting battles alone, we create connections.

Instead of seeking a single cure, we weave a web of support.

Instead of measuring success by conquering illness, we celebrate both incremental progress and relationships nourished along the way.

When I describe this model to new patients, I see their shoulders relax. They exhale. There's a relief in knowing:

1) your practitioner isn't there to fix you, they’re there to offer support; and

2) you don't have to do this alone.

For Healthcare Practitioners

There’s a lot to think about here for healthcare practitioners, and I’ll admit I’m not perfect. I’m still learning how to decondition my brain after acupuncture school, which still tends to teach in the “doctor as hero” model.

For me, embracing the Heroine’s Journey model looks like developing an active referral network, consistently centering my clients, understanding the herbs and treatments I offer are simply one piece of the puzzle, leaning on a network of practitioners for my own self-care, and reaching out to other practitioners for support.

The main principle here?

Your client is the heroine.

You are simply a supporting character, one part of their network, providing aid as they write their own story.

This can look like:

• Maintaining an active referral network

• Encouraging client autonomy

• Supporting community building

• Recognizing the value of incremental progress

• Sharing treatment plans with other practitioners (with your client’s permission)

• Actively building a network of practitioners you can talk to about challenging cases

• Celebrating small victories alongside your clients

• Viewing yourself as part of their support team rather than the sole solution

• Sharing the heroine’s model with your clients

• Becoming the heroine of your own healthcare experience

Your Path Forward

If you're feeling exhausted from the dominant doctor-as-hero paradigm, I get it. For years I searched for somebody who could fix me and my autoimmune issues, not realizing I was longing for a different model. I needed a network of support. I needed to be a heroine.

Honestly, this way really only became possible for me when I received midwifery care, which tends to operate within a heroine’s journey, community care model. The best GPs are also really great at sharing their robust referral networks for specialist support.

So…what would your healing journey look like with more support and less pressure to do it alone? 

If this resonates, I’d love to hear from you. And if you know somebody who could hear this message, please share with a friend.