The 8 Healing Archetypes - Overview
What are the 8 Healing Archetypes, their gifts & desires? How can you heal trauma with their help? What challenges and fundamental convictions do they struggle with? What are their behavioral patterns and greatest barriers that tend to hold them back? When do they develop?
In this article you will get a brief overview of all 8 Healing Archetypes.
Table of contents
Introduction - What exactly are the 8 Archetypes of Healing?
3. The Independent Adventuress
Introduction - What exactly are the 8 Archetypes of Healing?
Then all of a sudden, I was allowed to just be who I am.
For most of my life I tried to be everything I wasn’t, and judged myself for my quirky behavior, my appearance, my way of being.
When I was first exposed to the 8 Archetypes of Healing (these are character structures on which Biodynamics is based), I experienced a tremendous sense of relief.
Ha! And not only that! For once, I was free to celebrate the crazy and different sides of myself and perceive them for what they were: vital assets in healing my developmental traumas!
But: I also felt quite confronted, considering that the character structures are often described very negatively in literature.
Thanks to my teachers in Biodynamic Body Psychotherapy, I soon came to understand that each of these 8 character structures has great and powerful gifts. However, these are often concealed behind certain behavioral patterns and barriers.
I discovered that each quirk and barrier is an important defense mechanism, preventing me from being hurt again as I was during my early childhood.
The more I learned about how these defense mechanisms are triggered, the deeper it touched me. My heart swelled with compassion for each behavioral pattern – both my own as well as those of my clients – because I was able to recognize and comprehend the underlying story. This has helped me so much!
And I know that this knowledge can help anyone to gain a greater loving understanding – for themselves as well as for others.
And due to my own experiences, my training and the great desire to share these character structures with my clients in this positive way, the 8 Archetypes of Healing came into being.
So today I want to provide you with a brief overview of the 8 Healing Archetypes:
What are their gifts and desires?
What challenges and fundamental convictions do they struggle with?
What are their behavioral patterns and greatest barriers that tend to hold them back?
When do they develop and how can they be healed?
For your information:
Each of us embodies a mixture of all 8 archetypes. Usually, 2 or 3 of them are more prominent than the others. Take a look at the descriptions, open your heart and go inside yourself to feel which archetypes resonate with you the most.
Now, have a great time of self-exploration and learn all about the archetypes 5-8 in the next mail.
In the meantime, take care!
Elke
1. The Mystical Seekeress
Gifts: Searches tirelessly for the meaning of life. Highly sensitive. Gentle. Strong observational skills. Compassionate. Psychic. Creative. Imaginative. Highly analytical thinking.
Desire: Closeness, intimacy. To feel welcome and included.
Challenges: To get or stay in touch.
Fundamental Conviction: “I don’t belong here. I don’t deserve to be loved.”
Behavioral Pattern: Escape. No emotional expression. Aloofness or arrogance.
Greatest Barrier: Distrust and aloof behavior.
Origin: In the womb, during birth or in the first months after birth.
Healing by: Gradually opening up. Learning to feel her body. Allowing intimacy and closeness.
2. The Sincere Beauty
Gifts: Sincere and authentic. Lovable. Warm. Gives a lot. Expresses her feelings openly and with ease. Open-minded. Warm-hearted. Sense for beauty and aesthetics.
Desire: Empowerment, support. To be loved.
Challenges: To enter her power and stick to something.
Fundamental Conviction: “I can’t do it. I’m all alone. No one is there for me.”
Behavioral Pattern: Breakdown. Resignation. Clutching at every straw. Destructive Behavior.
Greatest Barrier: The inner conviction of not receiving support while seeking satisfaction of her needs.
Origin: After birth, until the age of approximately 2 years.
Healing by: Perception of her own needs. Learning to give herself the empowerment she needs.
3. The Independent Adventuress
Gifts: Independent and adventurous. Can count on herself. Stands on her own two feet. Just goes for it and tries everything herself. Self-reliant. Has an abundance of energy, is physically and emotionally strong. Courageous and confident.
Desire: Support, loyalty. Being respected and loved.
Challenges: Asking for help and accepting it.
Fundamental Conviction: “I don’t need anyone. I can and must do everything on my own. I can’t rely on anyone.”
Behavioral Pattern: Being strong and independent. Taking care of herself.
Greatest Barrier: Excessive independence. The fear of being needy, dependent or weak.
Origin: After birth, until the age of approximately 2 years.
Healing by: Accepting and expressing a need to help in order to experience getting support from the outside.
4. The Dynamic Leaderess
Gifts: Brimming with vitality and energy. Drive to conquer. No task is too difficult. Captivating persuasiveness. Can hold her ground. Connects with others effortlessly. Great adaptability. Friendly and trustworthy. Humorous and charming. Unwavering. Leadership qualities. Successful.
Desire: Recognition of their needs. To be able to allow genuine intimacy. To be respected and loved.
Challenges: To allow intimacy and to express weakness.
Fundamental Conviction: “I’m small, insignificant, and powerless. I’ll be taken advantage of if I display weakness.”
Behavioral Pattern: Aggressive. Powerful, fearless, resilient. Appearing more powerful and more intelligent.
Greatest Barrier: Supposed immunity and denial of feelings.
Origin: Between the ages of approximately 2 and 4 years.
Healing by: Gradually becoming softer and more receptive. Learning to show weakness and express needs.
5. The Seductive Queen
Gifts: Captivating vitality and energy. Persuasive and inspiring. Knows what she wants and how to get it. Confident, charming, and spontaneous. Great adaptability. Connects with others effortlessly. Considerate, gentle, and trustworthy. Leadership qualities. Successful visionary. Reserved and friendly demeanor.
Desire: To be able to allow genuine intimacy. To be respected and seen. To be loved as an independent person.
Challenges: To allow intimacy and to express weakness.
Fundamental Conviction: “I’m small, insignificant, and powerless. I’ll be taken advantage of if I display weakness. I don’t need anyone.”
Behavioral Pattern: Seduction, Manipulation. Aggressive. Powerful, fearless, resilient. Appearing friendly yet inapproachable.
Greatest Barrier: Supposed superiority and denial of feelings.
Origin: Between the ages of approximately 2 and 4 years.
Healing by: Gradually becoming softer and more receptive. Learning to show weakness and express needs.
6. The Faithful Companionista
Gifts: Loyal, honest, and authentic. One can always count on her. Goes through thick and thin. Great perseverance and dedication in the face of adversity. Family person. Faithful and persistent. Keeps working on the things she started. Supportive, warm-hearted, and understanding. Likes to share and give. Enjoys abundance. Resistant to influence or manipulation. Intelligent and successful.
Desire: To be taken seriously and to be appreciated. Loving relationships and genuine intimacy. People who enjoy spending time with her. Vitality and joy.
Challenges: To show anger and enjoy life with relish.
Fundamental Conviction: “I’m a bad person and am always out of luck. If I express strong feelings or refusal, I’ll be punished severely.”
Behavioral Pattern: Whining. Denial and punishment of herself. Kind, self-sacrificing, docile, and obedient. Internalized self-sabotage.
Greatest Barrier: Supposed obedience, inner resistance, and suppressed rage.
Origin: Between the ages of approximately 18 months and 4 years.
Healing by: Gradually expressing her anger without pressure as well as learning to say no. Experiencing vitality, desire, and joy.
7. The Passionate Performeress
Gifts: Successful, persistent, and quick. Highly efficient and aiming for excellence. Loves challenges and is an exceptional problem solver. Responsible. Perfect family provider. Competent and hardworking employee. Strong, graceful, and sexy. High self-esteem. Proud, upstanding, and attractive. Can’t be overlooked. Enjoys the spotlight. Adventurous and versatile.
Desire: To be seen, recognized, and accepted for who she really is. To give as well as receive love and tenderness. To be valued and to open her heart.
Challenges: To let go, relax, express tender feelings, and be content with herself.
Fundamental Conviction: “Only when I achieve something do I deserve love. I have to work hard and not express my feelings”
Behavioral Pattern: Being faster, stronger, or better. Rational, logical, and serious.
Greatest Barrier: Fear of intimacy. Striving for perfection and recognition.
Origin: Between the ages of approximately 3 and 5 years.
Healing by: Gradually opening her heart, showing her weaknesses, and becoming more relaxed.
8. The Sparkling Actress
Gifts: Can’t be overlooked. Expressive and alluring. Captivating liveliness that inspires fire in others. Artistic abilities and talents. Vivacious and enthusiastic. Expresses her emotions. Desired actress, dancer, or singer. Childlike charm and spontaneity. Passionate, graceful, and sexy. High self-esteem. Attractive, proud, and spirited. Enjoys the spotlight. Caring and affectionate. Competent and successful.
Desire: To be taken seriously and to be noticed. People who enjoy spending time with her and listening to her. Affection, loving attention, and physical intimacy.
Challenges: To be abandoned, to find peace within herself, and to express profound feelings.
Fundamental Conviction: “I’m only noticed when I’m seductive, upset, or overly excited. I’m not interesting enough the way I am. I’m not worth anything and no one understands me.”
Behavioral Pattern: Raising her voice. Demanding tokens of love while fearing profound intimacy. Hiding true feelings behind her loud behavior.
Greatest Barrier: Fear of intimacy. Erratic and dramatic behavior in order to get attention.
Origin: Between the ages of approximately 3 and 5 years.
Healing by: Gradually opening her heart, showing her true feelings, and becoming calmer.
Text: © Elke Hannig
Photos: Bibbie Friman Awakening Photographer, unsplash-zara-walker-1J5rNeyI28Q