What Therapists Won’t Tell You

Every therapist I know yearns to help their clients. They worry about them, they root for them, they rejoice in their successes.

But today, our clients increasingly come to us seeking fulfillment and meaning, not just symptom relief.

Unfortunately, almost none of us were trained to help in this way.

A Look Backward

Clinical psychology (PhD-level practitioners) bloomed in the aftermath of World War II with the need to address the trauma of returning vets. 

Later in the 1960s, masters-level counseling developed to provide mental health in schools, workplaces, and communities.

Both were mostly problem focused. In grad school, most therapists did not take a single course in how to help people create a gratifying life.

That remains almost entirely true today.

The Importance of a Roadmap for Growth

I believe a roadmap for growth is the most important life teaching any of us can receive. I’ve spent years of my life researching, teaching, and practicing this.

Maybe you were fortunate enough to watch your elders who understood life’s challenges deeply and modeled courage, wisdom, and resilience for you. But for the other 95% of us, this is something we need to work at.

People often find themselves adrift when faced with life’s challenges and changes, unsure of how to move forward. Every life has those.

We need frameworks—let’s call them “growth models”—to navigate these challenges.

Frameworks offer wisdom, structure, direction, and purpose in the midst of uncertainty. “Just Do It!” is not a growth framework.

At their core, these frameworks help us make sense of our experiences, transforming setbacks into stepping stones and challenges into opportunities for growth.

Recently, I founded a project to meet this need called Hero’s Journey Interactive. More about that later.

The Rise of Coaching

In response to the growing demand for fulfillment and purpose, coaching has gained popularity as a way to bridge the gap between symptom relief and personal growth. 

Unlike traditional therapy, coaching often focuses on goal-setting and actionable steps.

While it lacks the depth of therapeutic work, it reflects how much people value tools and guidance for creating a more rewarding life. 

Coaching serves as a reminder of the importance of frameworks that help individuals move forward.

Three Growth Models

  • Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Maslow shows us that human growth builds in stages, from basic needs like safety and belonging to the ultimate goal of self-actualization. It helps us understand why we may feel stuck—unmet foundational needs can block our path to fulfillment.
  • Viktor Frankl’s Search for Meaning: Frankl, who developed his model after surviving life in a German concentration camp, teaches that finding meaning in life, even in hardship, is essential for a rewarding existence. His approach reframes struggles as opportunities to discover purpose and grow.
  • Positive Psychology: Positive Psychology focuses on building what’s good in life—strengths, gratitude, and habits that lead to happiness and resilience. It offers practical tools for thriving, not just surviving.

These models each provide valuable insights, but they can feel static. 

Life is not a series of neatly stacked blocks or philosophical musings. It’s a narrative, an unfolding story filled with twists, turns, and transformations. 

This is where The Hero’s Journey® rises above the others.

The Ultimate Life Map

The Hero’s Journey is a timeless life-map, handed down as legend and myth across millennia, capturing profound wisdom and timeless truths about human nature. Today it lives on in stories like Star Wars and Harry Potter. 

It views life as a story, with each person as the protagonist of their own adventure, navigating challenges, self-discovery, and transformation.

What sets the Hero’s Journey apart is its ability to provide both a map and a sense of adventure. 

It’s not simply about identifying needs, finding meaning, or cultivating strengths; it’s about engaging in a process that feels alive, purposeful, and uniquely your own. 

It encourages us to see ourselves as active participants in our growth, turning obstacles into rites of passage and everyday moments into opportunities for transformation.

Ultimately, the Hero’s Journey rises above other frameworks because it doesn’t merely show us what a fulfilling life looks like—it shows us how to live one. Step by step, it guides us with courage, purpose, and meaning.

An Invitation to Your Journey

This framework offers something more than understanding: it offers hope. Hope that our struggles have meaning. Hope that we can evolve into stronger, wiser, and more fulfilled versions of ourselves.

I believe this is so important that, over the last five years, I’ve led a team to design an interactive version of the Hero’s Journey®. I wanted it to be available to anyone, anywhere. It’s called Hero’s Journey Interactive.

This program takes you on three immersive journeys that help you find meaning, strength, and purpose in your life. It’s an opportunity to explore your story deeply and create a more fulfilling and authentic life.

If you’d like to sample Hero’s Journey Interactive, click here to view our FREE Seeker’s Sampler.


Dr. John Drimmer
Psychologist | Educator | Founder of Hero’s Journey Interactive
john@herosjourneyinteractive.com

Dr. Drimmer taught Positive Psychology at UCLA Medical School and maintains a private practice in Santa Monica, California.


Announcements

  • Start Your Hero’s Journey: You can start your own personal Hero’s Journey today at no cost by exploring our Seeker’s Sampler. Visit our website to learn how to get started for free.
  • Apply the Hero’s Journey to Your Life: If you’re interested in learning more about personal growth, positive psychology, and how to apply the Hero’s Journey to your life, you can follow us on LinkedIn!
  • Get Hands-On HJI Integration Coaching: In 2025, we plan to launch a community to help HJI graduates integrate the lessons from HJI into their life with group trainings, helpful exercises, and a supportive group of peers. If this is something you’re interested in, join the HJI coaching waitlist today!

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