I would never publish something that is not original and written by me personally unless I tell you first. So I am telling you. I am a little shaken by the origin of this post. I asked ChatGPT for a three-minute article on the healing power of fairy tales to address past trauma. I have a lot of strong opinions on this based on my own personal experience, myth stories, Jungian psychology, and the repetitive and universal themes that fairy tales touch on. But holy heck.
What follows below is the result of a query ChatGPT produced in well under a minute. If there is any comfort to be taken from this alien’s ability, it is that if writers use it, they will at least have to read it before they publish it. I did. But wow. This is one slippery slope, especially for those who are not as ethically constrained as others. What may be worse is that there is nothing in this text I can disagree or take issue with. I would have been funnier though. I’m hanging on to that.
Take it away, ChatGPT…
Title: Harnessing the Magic of Fairy Tales to Heal Past Trauma
Introduction: Life is a journey filled with joyous moments, but it can also bring forth painful experiences that leave lasting scars on our hearts and minds. Healing from trauma is a complex process, and there are numerous therapeutic approaches available to support individuals on their path to recovery. One surprisingly powerful tool for healing is the enchanting world of fairy tales. These timeless stories, with their magical landscapes and archetypal characters, have the remarkable ability to provide solace, understanding, and empowerment as we navigate the difficult terrain of our past traumas.
Unleashing Imagination and Symbolism: Fairy tales have captivated our imaginations for centuries, weaving tales of heroes, heroines, monsters, and mystical beings. These fantastical narratives often mirror the struggles we face in our own lives but in a metaphorical and symbolic way. By immersing ourselves in these tales, we gain a fresh perspective on our traumas, viewing them through the lens of fiction. This distancing effect can be remarkably therapeutic, allowing us to explore our pain from a safe and detached space.
Identification and Validation: Within fairy tales, we encounter characters who embark on transformative journeys, facing adversity and triumphing over challenges. By identifying with these characters, we find solace and validation for our own struggles. Seeing how they navigate their trials and emerge stronger, we realize that we too possess the inner strength to overcome our past traumas. Fairy tales provide a sense of shared humanity, reminding us that we are not alone in our pain and that healing is possible.
Symbolic Resolutions and Catharsis: Fairy tales often offer symbolic resolutions, where the characters find closure and transformation. These resolutions can offer us a sense of catharsis as we witness the characters’ triumphs and discover parallel pathways for our own healing. Through the symbolic elements, we can explore and process our emotions, fears, and desires in a way that feels safe and non-threatening. The magical elements of the tales create a space where we can reimagine our own narratives and rewrite the endings to better suit our healing journey.
Empowerment and Resilience: Fairy tales are not mere escapism; they are vehicles for empowerment and resilience. These stories inspire us to believe in the power of hope, love, and courage. As we internalize the lessons learned from fairy tales, we begin to cultivate a stronger belief in our own abilities and resilience. We recognize that even in the face of adversity, we have the capacity to rise above our traumas and create a brighter future.
Conclusion: The healing potential of fairy tales is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling. By delving into these magical realms, we gain insight, validation, and strength to confront and heal from past traumas. Fairy tales provide a sanctuary for our wounded selves, where we can reimagine our narratives and find solace in shared experiences. So, let us not underestimate the transformative magic of fairy tales and embrace their enchanting power as we embark on our healing journey.
Ed. Note: Just wow.
Expressive Compulsive 
Storytelling, mythology, fairy tales are BIG Medicine, as in By Infinite Grace. They creative imaginal beings expressed in story. Those that empower, teach, heal, enliven us even when the shadow realms, the dark things, beasts, bad guys, that challenge the main character and even defeat them for a time speak to the initiations we go through in this spiritual life.
AI may be able to draw upon that. I’d say it’s plagiarizing other sources it has uploaded within it. Some of that sounded very familiar. What else has it got? So it can tell stories because they’re in folders somewhere, it can draw upon themes and characters and plots. but will it feel alive to us? Will it be the medicine we need? I guess we’re going to find out.
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I find it kind of scary that the world is losing it’s imagination and some people seem to be alright with it. They can do a lot with AI I admit that, but they have been able to add personal touches to it yet, Thank-goodness.
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I shouldn’t think (hope?) that the well of human imagination could ever run dry. BUT, it will remain increasingly more untapped and undeveloped if our focus is exclusively on the development of new technologies while ignoring the development of human imagination and creativity. I sure hope it is just a “pendulum swing” that will eventually correct itself. For my part, I sure hope we swing back to a focus on nurturing human creativity and imagination soon! 🙂
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I totally agree with you on that, Maggie.
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