Forged in Darkness

'All darkness must be hored, explored and understood. The sould would not bring this, or that to your attention if it were not at this moment, asking to be healed.'
Forged in Darkness encourages the reader to embrace the 'darkness' and work with archetypes in mythology.
I was intrigued by the description of this book and am glad I read it.
A new type of self-help book, full of examples from therapy sessions and littered with useful anecdotes. Many references to Jungian psychology, Greek mythology,and practice notes.

''We human beings are wired for storytelling. First we expressed ourselves on stone using paint, then in spoken word, papyrus, parchment and paper. We have a rich history of sharing myths, fables, folklores, and fairytales to explain ourselves and our world. '

Part I serves as a basic intriduction
Part II and III are composed of chapters named after and centred around an ancient Greek god. Each chapter ends with ways in which the reader can reflect and heal
Part Ii ends with a concluding chapter Forged in Darkness,

Dr Joanna LaPrada is a practicing Psychotherapist and writes beautifully and in an engaging style. This is a brilliant book steeped in mythology, Jungian psychology and layers of depth.

'Forged in Darkness' by Joanna LaPrade is an archetypal analysis of death and rebirth. Exploring various underworld mythologies primarily from the Greek tradition, Joanna LaPrade offers plenty of riches and insights into how one can traverse the difficult journey of venturing deeply into one’s own past, memories, wounds, and traumas. Analyzing the Greek underworld myths and the heroes and gods who made the arduous trek, offers inspiring healing wisdom for those who find themselves in similar situations. My biggest takeaway from reading this book is that the underworld experience exists so that we may experience the joy, optimism, and light that life has to offer with more fullness and awareness. The underworld experience is not something to be avoided or feared, but rather, is something that should be valued. The morals of the Greek myths and lessons of their stories can provide each of us with the opportunity to grow and evolve and essentially re-write our stories and pain. If we know why we are suffering, we can know how to heal. Our experiences are not unique, and when we can find our mirrors in the myths and symbols of our ancestors and cultures we can realize a bigger version of who we are and who we can become. Joanna LaPrade explores each mythological figure and archetype with depth and enlightenment offering the reader many important takeaways and points of reflections. This book is a toolkit, a guide, and a psychopomp for anyone who wishes to get to know the story of their darkness.