Why did your life turn out this way? Who are the most important people in your world? What would you do differently, if you had the chance? Ever since you were a child, you have been writing your life script. You use fragments of story to weave your own personal narrative. The parts in your script are acted by people around you. Some of the oldest stories in the world are the ones called myths. The characters in them are easy to recognize: the princess, the hero, the good mother, the wise old man. These characters are based on universal figures called 'archetypes'. LifeWorks introduces the twelve major archetypes, with examples from books and films. For each figure there is a story, followed by points to consider and tasks to perform. You use classic stories and archetypal figures to compose your own life script. LifeWorks is a practical handbook which combines insights from psychology and anthropology. You will learn how to identify relationship patterns and life themes. Stories and exercises help you to develop your own personal mythology.

An important and potentially life changing book. Jane Bain combines Jungian psychology with our rich mythical heritage to help us understand ourselves and transform the way we live our lives. Thoughtful and inspiring. (Helen Batten, Psychotherapist, MA (Cantab), PGDip Counselling & Psychotherapy, MBACP) This has 'bestseller' written all over it. It ranks alongside Julia Camerons work in terms of accessibility and user-friendliness. I have been looking for a book like this for ages! (Frank McGrath, Writer and Journalist)

Jane Bailey Bain is an author and creative coach. She studied Psychology at Oxford and Anthropology at the LSE. After travelling extensively around the world, Jane trained as a systems consultant. She worked for several years on development projects in Asia and Africa, specializing in social issues. This involved planning and evaluating projects in terms of their practical impact on people's lives. During this time she became interested in stories and how we use them in everyday life. Jane's work draws on profound insights from psychology, anthropology and spirituality. She combines these with a wide range of practical tools and techniques. Jane currently runs workshops on how to tell your own story.