hero's journey curriculum

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• psychological
• intellectual
• moral/ethical

On this website, each stage of this map will link you to more information about that stage and samples of the different parts of the curriculum.

The call * crossing the threshold * initiation of change road of trials * finding the key and receiving the boon * sharing the treasure rite of passage.

How to Teach the Hero’s Journey: Engaging Students with the Monomyth Story Structure

Looking for advice on how to teach the Hero’s Journey in your secondary ELA class? Between a unit outline, a list of teachable titles, and engaging activities, this post is just what you need to get started.

What defines a hero?

That’s the simple question I love to open with when teaching the Hero’s Journey in secondary ELA. The best part? As students partake in an engaging discussion about their favorite heroes and the qualities that make them so great, they are unknowingly laying the foundation for your lesson. Because what your students might not realize is that all heroes, no matter who they are, where they come from, or what heroic quest they complete, all have something in common.

And that, my teacher friend, is the essence of the Hero’s Journey.

Keep reading to learn more about teaching the Hero’s Journey and my best tips for making it an engaging voyage for your students.

What Is the Hero’s Journey and Why Is It Important?

The Hero’s Journey is a classic narrative pattern that traces the transformative trek of a protagonist from their ordinary world into the unknown. During this journey, the character sets out on some form of adventure, meets mentors along the way, faces various obstacles, and overcomes challenges. In the end, they return home a hero equipped with newfound knowledge, perspective, or a physical object for the greater good.

This archetypal structure is as old as time and can be found in myths, legends, and stories throughout history. However, it’s widely used in modern literature and cinema as well. Luke Skywalker? Hero. Katniss Everdeen? Hero. The same can be said for characters ranging from Harry Potter to Spiderman. The Hero’s Journey can be traced throughout movies like Finding Nemo , The Lion King , The Wizard of Oz , Moana , Frozen , and even Shrek . I mean the list goes on and on.

Why Teach the Hero’s Journey?

By exploring this archetypal pattern, students can recognize and analyze the deeper meaning behind a wide variety of narratives, fostering critical thinking, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for storytelling. However, the importance of The Hero’s Journey extends beyond literature—and that’s really why it’s important.

The Hero’s Journey is a reflection of a universal human experience of growth and self-discovery. (What teenager can’t relate to that?) Therefore, students can apply the monomyth to their own lives. They can take what they learned and use it to see their inner hero as they answer their own calls to adventures, face challenges, conquer their fears, and come out on the other side with newfound insights and knowledge.

It’s this real-life connection that gives the Hero’s Journey its true power and explains why the literary framework has stood the test of time.

What Are the 12 Stages of the Hero’s Journey?

The Hero’s Journey can be broken down into 12 main phases. While not all heroes experience every stage in the same way, it goes a little something like this:

• The Ordinary World:  An introduction to the protagonist’s everyday life, relationships, and any challenges or limitations they face are first introduced.
• The Call to Adventure:  The protagonist receives a compelling invitation or challenge that initiates the on the heroic journey.
• Refusal of the Call:  The protagonist resists the call to adventure due to fear, doubt, or a sense of inadequacy.
• Meeting the Mentor:  The protagonist encounters a mentor figure who provides guidance, advice, and assistance needed for the journey.
• Crossing the Threshold:  The protagonist leaves the familiar and ordinary world behind and enters the unknown.
• Tests, Allies, and Enemies:  The protagonist encounters various obstacles,enemies, and allies that test their will, determination and character.
• Approach to the Inmost Cave:  The protagonist prepares for a significant challenge or confrontation, symbolizing their innermost fears, doubts, or weaknesses.
• Ordeal:  The protagonist is pushed to their limits when faced with their greatest challenge, undergoing a transformative experience.
• Reward:  After overcoming the ordeal, the protagonist is rewarded with something, often knowledge, that empowers them to continue their journey.
• The Road Back:  The protagonist begins a journey back to the ordinary world.
• Resurrection:  They face a final challenge, where they must apply everything they have learned and experienced.
• Return with the Elixir:  The protagonist returns and is reunited with the ordinary world, having been transformed by “the elixir”—an object, knowledge, or insight—for the greater good.

How to Teach the Hero’s Journey

Want to maintain student engagement throughout the trek of teaching the Hero’s Journey? Read through the steps below for an easy-to-follow outline to bring the narrative pattern to life in your classroom.

Step 1: Begin with a Conversation

Before formally introducing the concept, get students thinking (and engaged) with a simple conversation. Consider your essential questions for the unit and let them guide your initial discussion. Have students reflect on the heroes in their lives, asking them to work together to define what makes a hero in the first place. Here are a few questions you can use to get started:

• What does it mean to be a hero?
• Who do you consider as heroes in your life?
• Do all heroes share certain traits?
• Are heroes born or made?
• How can an individual change by taking heroic action?
• Do heroes have responsibilities to themselves? To others? To Society?
• What draws us to stories about heroes, real or fiction?

Step 2: Introduce the Concept

Next, provide students with a clear definition of the Hero’s Journey and explain its 12 stages. It’s helpful to use visual aids such as diagrams or infographics to help students visualize the structure as a full circle and transformative journey. Additionally, you can incorporate brief videos, like this TED-Ed , to provide an overview of the journey, too.

Step 3: Start with Low-Stakes Application

Once students understand what the Hero’s Journey is, have them work together to think of relevant examples of characters or plotlines that follow the pattern. As a class, create a list of familiar characters in popular movies and books that they believe represent the Hero’s Journey. This is a low-stakes way to get them to start applying the concept. Note: You do not need to dive into deep analysis here. Don’t worry, that comes next.

Step 3: Analyze Examples

Before diving into a more complex text, check for understanding using examples from well-known stories or films. Analyze a popular movie plot, working as a class to identify each stage of the Hero’s Journey. Pause to discuss the significance of key moments and check for comprehension. Encourage students to share their observations and interpretations of the Hero’s Journey along the way.

Strive to incorporate modern examples of the Hero’s Journey that resonate with your students’ interests and experiences. This will heighten student engagement and help them see the relevance of the Hero’s Journey in their own lives.

Step 4: Bring in the Literature

Whether you decide to teach the Hero’s Journey using short stories or a novel, select texts that provide clear examples of the narrative pattern. If this is the first time your students are working with the Hero’s Journey, analyze the selected literature together to ensure understanding along the way. Scaffold the analysis by using a mix of read-alouds, turn and talks, group work, class discussions, comprehension questions, and quick writes. Additionally, have students track the progress of the Hero’s journey in their notes or using a graphic organizer.

Step 5: Apply Student Knowledge

Provide students with various opportunities to apply their knowledge of the Hero’s Journey through writing assignments, creative projects , or group presentations. Start with simple tasks, such as identifying the stages in a short story, and gradually move towards more complex projects, like crafting their own Hero’s Journey narratives or writing a literary analysis essay .

What to Read When Teaching the Hero’s Journey?

Whether you’re looking to pull excerpts or to dive into full-length texts, here are some engaging titles you can use in your secondary classroom when teaching the Hero’s Journey:

● The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien ● Life of Pi by Yann Martel ● To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ● The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain ● Lord of the Flies by William Golding ● The Odyssey by Homer ● The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho ● The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum ● The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins ● The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan ● Holes by Louis Sachar ● Divergent by Veronica Roth ● Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by JK Rowling

On the other hand, if you’re looking for short stories for teaching the Hero’s Journey, read this post here.  

Exciting Activities to Engage Students with the Hero’s Journey

Whether you’re looking for formative check-ins or summative assessments, here are some engaging activities that give your students an opportunity to shine as the Hero in their learning journey:

• Hero’s Journey Roadmap: Play up the “adventure” element by encouraging students to design a creative roadmap to express the various stages of the Hero’s Journey. Adapt this activity to reflect the 12 stages or the narrative structure in general or map out a specific character’s experience. Either way, encourage students to use images, quotes, and symbols to enhance this visual representation.
• Everyday Heroes: While we associate the term “hero” with characters from comic books and movies, there are plenty of heroes among us. Therefore, this activity encourages students to take a closer look at the essential question, “What makes a hero?” Have students identify real-life heroes and present what their real-life version of this journey looks like. These figures can include historical figures, athletes, changemakers, activists, or even everyday people in their own community.
• Hero’s Journey Comparative Analysis: Assign students two texts, characters, or films that follow the Hero’s Journey. The twist? The plotlines should differ in genre, time period, or cultural context. Ask students to write a comparative analysis essay, exploring how the stages are portrayed in each text while highlighting that heroes come in all different shapes and sizes. To set students up for success, encourage them to start with a simple Venn diagram before translating the information into more thorough writing.
• Hero’s Journey in the Twitterverse : Students these days document everything on social media. So, why not document their learning? After reading a text, have students represent the character’s Hero’s Journey through a series of Tweets (or Instagram posts). Each post should highlight a specific stage in the journey. By the end, students should present 12 posts that showcase the character’s heroic transformation from start to finish. You can have students create dummy accounts or complete the activity using social media post templates.
• A Multigenre Monomyth: Rather than completing a classic character analysis, challenge students to create a multi-genre representation of a character’s Hero’s Journey. Whether students analyze a hero from a classroom text or from pop culture, have them explore said character’s journey through various genres. Each stage of the Hero’s Journey should be represented and analyzed through a different genre. In the end, they’ll have a multigenre representation of how the character undergoes transformation and overcomes challenges throughout the story.

Examples of genres include poetry, journal entries, abstract recipes, formal analysis, song lyrics, artwork, comic strips, maps, news articles, and more.

• Create Your Own Hero’s Journey: Encourage students to write their own Hero’s Journey stories. They can create original characters, outline the stages, and craft a compelling narrative that follows the pattern. Students can share their stories with the class or in small groups. As an alternative, have your students create the outline or story map for a short story that would follow the hero’s journey.

The activities above provide diverse ways for students to showcase their understanding of this narrative structure. Whichever activities you choose, your students are sure to showcase creativity, critical thinking, and engagement.

Final Thoughts on Teaching the Hero’s Journey

Before you begin your own heroic journey of teaching this beloved narrative pattern, remember that the Hero’s Journey is about much more than literature itself. Use the Hero’s Journey to engage students in the power of storytelling and self-discovery. Talk about real-world application!

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The Hero’s Journey: Literature & Composition, 2nd Edition

The books in the Hero’s Journey: Literature & Composition, Second Edition, feature ordinary people who find themselves in circumstances that require extraordinary acts, and how these acts relate to the archetypal hero’s journey. Lessons provide historical background on the setting and author, and discussion points for exploring literary themes and issues with family and peers. Students develop a wide range of composition skills throughout the course, using techniques and formats such as comparative essays, first-person writing, figurative language, summarizing, poetry, persuasive writing, inferential reading and contextual clues, and observational writing.

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Course Length: Full year

Grade Level: 9, 10

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The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Course Package, Second Edition

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What's included

The following materials are included in this course package:

• The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Coursebook Second Edition
• The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer
• Kidnapped by Robert Louis Stevenson
• The Raybearer by Jordan Ifueko
• Where We Come From by Oscar Cásares
• Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
• House of Light by Mary Oliver
• A Pocket Style Manual by Diana Hacker and Nancy Sommers
• Write It Right: A Handbook for Student Writers
• Two Blank Journals

Link to the digital version of Pygmalion

Additional Materials Recommended

The following materials are recommended for use with this coursebook (NOT included in the course package):

• The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Teacher Edition Second Edition

Course Overview

Course Length: Full year

Suggested Grade Level(s): 9 10

View samples of our high school curriculum here .

This course explores the question "What does it mean to be a hero?" It looks at literature featuring ordinary people who find themselves in circumstances that require extraordinary acts and examines these acts in relation to the archetypal hero's journey.

Lessons provide historical background on the setting and author while offering discussion points students can use to explore literary topics with family and peers. The course includes the use of a main lesson book as a reader's journal to keep track of key passages new vocabulary observations about characters settings literary techniques etc.

Students develop a wide range of composition skills throughout the course by exploring techniques and formats such as comparative essays first-person writing figurative language summarizing poetry persuasive writing inferential reading and contextual clues and observational writing.

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The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Course Package, Second Edition - Digital

The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Coursebook, Second Edition

The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Teacher Edition, Second Edition

The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Teacher Edition, Second Edition - Digital

The Hero's Journey: Literature and Composition Coursebook, Second Edition - Digital

The Hero's Journey: Life's Great Adventure

Harris Communications: Home of the Hero's Journey Since 1997

The Hero’s Journey in Five Days: Teaching the Basics

The Hero’s Journey in Five Days

Give your students a basic understanding of the Hero’s Journey pattern in just five days. This 84-page guide has everything you need to teach the basic hero’s journey archetype. (For a comprehensive Hero’s Journey curriculum, see The Path of Transformation .)

The unit includes:

• Detailed, daily lesson plans,
• Student Texts: “The Hero’s Journey: Life’s Great Adventure” and “Gawain and the Green Knight,”
• Film unit: Star Wars IV: A New Hope ( or film of your choice), with a full analysis of Luke Skywalker’s journey,
• Graphic and written activities to enhance learning,
• Resource material to enrich your own knowledge of the journey,
• A glossary of Hero’s Journey concepts and terms,

After the students have learned the journey archetype, they will be able to use it to study literature and film and to better negotiate the challenges in their own lives. You can use my five-day plan as is or fit the material to your own curric­ulum and schedule. The unit is ready to go. Just preview the material, print the student handouts and start teaching.

TAKE A CLOSER LOOK

NOTE : On the slide show, hover your cursor over a slide to pause it. Use the arrows (about two-thirds of the way down the sides of the slides) to navigate forward and back.

Annotated Contents

Introduction: The Hero’s Journey in Five Days : Provides an overview of the five-day unit, briefly explains the psychological model of the Hero’s Journey, and offers suggestions for presenting the unit. It also covers the materials you will need (all but the film are in the guide), key concepts, objectives and suggestions for assessment. Also included is a guide to help you plan the unit to fit your unique needs and schedule.

Day One: Activate the Narrative Schema : Day one introduces the brain’s narrative schema and its relationship to the journey pattern. Then it presents the first day’s lesson plan, with objectives, materials, preparation and suggested approach. It focuses on the three stages of transformation that are the foundation of the Hero’s Journey. Student activities include reading and discussing “The Hero’s Journey: Life’s Great Adventure” and “What Makes a Hero?”

Day Two: “Gawain and the Green Knight” : Day two deepens students’ understanding of the Hero’s Journey with the legend of “Gawain and the Green Knight.” Activities include reading and discussing the legend (can be done in one class period), review and writing questions, and a chart illustrating Gawain’s journey.

Days Three through Five: Star Wars IV : Days three through five are devoted to the Hero’s Journey in the classic film Star Wars IV: A New Hope. Included in this project are goals and objectives, materials, preparation, suggested approach and tools for assessment. With the exception of the film, everything you need is the guide. Discussion and writing questions encourage metacognitive thought and help students connect the Hero’s Journey and the film to their own lives. For teacher background, this project also includes an eight-page analysis of the film, “The Path of the Jedi: An Analysis of Luke’s Hero’s Journey.”

Appendix 1: Student Materials and Graphic Aids : Appendix 1 contains all of the student materials you will need to teach this unit: “The Hero’s Journey: Life’s Great Adventure,” “What Makes a Hero,” “Gawain and the Green Knight” with review questions, a glossary of Hero’s Journey related terms, quizzes for all three projects and charts to supplement your teaching.

Appendix Two: Teacher Resource—The Path of Transformation : The Hero’s Journey in Five Days uses our life-oriented model of the Hero’s Journey, the “Path of Transformation.” Appendix Two includes an introduction to this model as narrative, a three-page table detailing the stages in the Path, and a brief explanation of “The Call Refused.

Appendix Three: Teacher Resource—Campbell’s Monomyth : For teachers who prefer to use Joseph Campbell’s mythological-based monomyth rather than our Path of Transformation, Appendix Three introduces Campbell and some of the challenges you may encounter in teaching the monomyth. We also include a three-page table detailing all of the stages in the monomyth, with descriptions and quotes from Campbell, along with three charts illustrating the monomyth (suitable for the classroom).

What Teachers are Saying

 Very comprehensive for five days. I have been able to adapt to my students quite well. You certainly know your stuff! ~ Shannon S., teacher ~

This is a fantastic resource! Not only am I using the entire unit in my Fiction and Film class (high school), but Mr. Harris was kind enough to respond to my email questions promptly. He even sent me additional resources at no cost. This is an amazing seller to work with! ~ Ms. S., teacher ~

I love, love, love this resource. I teach the Hero's Journey to my AP and Eng 101 students. This helps me organize my unit along with Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth. ~ Denise L., teacher ~

I liked that there were a variety of options. Everything was well set up and easy to follow. ~ Holli B., teacher ~

This resource made teaching the Hero’s Journey so easy and engaging. ~ Bonnie M, teacher ~   Loved Using this resource in my class. ~ Katie C., teacher ~

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SUPPORT : I fully support all of my publications. If you have questions, problems, comments or complaints, please let me know. I am also happy to answer questions regarding specific applications of my materials in the classroom or elsewhere. If you just want to discuss the Hero's Journey, I'd love to hear from you.

GUARANTEE : If within 30 days of downloading, you decide that you are unhappy with your purchase, contact me and I will issue an immediate refund. I ask only that you tell me what the problem is so that I can correct it for the future.

About the Author

Reg Harris has 33 years of experience teaching at every level from middle school to college post-graduate programs. He began using the Hero's Journey in the classroom in 1975, and he has been researching and writing about the Hero's Journey since 1986. He has an MA in psychology, with a focus on the transformative processes driving the journey experience.

His original teaching guide, The Hero's Journey: A Guide to Literature and Life , won the 2002 National Youth Storytelling "Teaching and Coaching" Pegasus Award. That guide and its revisions are currently being used by schools in 42 states and 17 countries.

He has presented dozens of workshops, including at state conferences in Oregon and California, and, in 2007, he was a featured speaker at the 30th Anniversary Celebration of the original Star Wars .

For the story of his exploration of the Hero's Journey, see " My 40-Year Journey into the Hero's Journey ".

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Teaching the Hero’s Journey

To introduce the Hero’s Journey, I first teach my students about the Hero’s Journey. Then, I show the Ted Ed video “What Makes a Hero?” by Matthew Winkler. This video is spectacular for a couple reasons. First, I love how it presents the Hero’s Journey in relation to a clock and a cycle. This visual sticks with the students. I also like how this video relates to the notion of the Hero’s Journey to students in their everyday lives.

Once we go over the video, we then read a short story and track the protagonist’s journey as a hero. Together, we identify each element of the Hero’s Journey cycle as outlined in the video and then discuss the qualities that make the character a hero. This helps me gauge whether or not my students are ready for the Hero’s Journey project. I have a graphic organizer in my Sticky Note Literary Analysis Unit.

The Hero’s Journey poster project is one of my favorite projects of the year. Students form groups of 2-3 and select a movie or book that they feel is a quintessential representation of the Hero’s Journey. Together, they discuss the movie and create a poster that represents all of the elements of the Hero’s Journey. I provide my students with a tabloid size piece of paper (affiliate link) for the project so they have more space to create.

To conclude the assignment, I have students present their findings to the class so that they can practice their presentation and public speaking skills.

I usually give my students 2-3 days of class time to work in their groups.

Teaching the Hero’s Journey: the 12 Stages

Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey is a narrative structure that describes the typical stages that a hero undergoes in a story. Following along with the arch, these are the 12 stages of the hero’s journey.

• The Ordinary World: The hero begins in a normal, mundane world, often unaware of the adventure that awaits.
• The Call to Adventure: The hero receives a call to leave their ordinary world and embark on a journey.
• Refusal of the Call: The hero initially hesitates or refuses the call, often due to fear or a sense of inadequacy.
• Meeting the Mentor: The hero encounters a mentor or guide who provides guidance, advice, or tools for the journey.
• Crossing the First Threshold: The hero commits to the adventure and crosses into the unknown, leaving their ordinary world behind.
• Tests, Allies, and Enemies: The hero faces a series of challenges, makes new friends, and encounters adversaries on the journey.
• Approach to the Inmost Cave: The hero approaches a critical point in the journey, often facing their greatest fear or confronting a powerful enemy.
• Ordeal: The hero undergoes a significant trial or ordeal that tests their abilities and resolve.
• Reward (Seizing the Sword): After overcoming the ordeal, the hero earns a reward or gains a valuable insight that propels them forward.
• The Road Back: The hero begins the journey back to their ordinary world, often pursued by enemies or facing additional challenges.
• Resurrection: The hero faces a final, often life-threatening challenge that transforms them and solidifies their hero status.
• Return with the Elixir: The hero returns to their ordinary world with newfound knowledge, a treasure, or a boon that benefits themselves and others.

This is the first of two blog posts that outlines how I teach the Hero’s Journey. The next post will be about short stories and poems that you can use in your classroom when teaching the Hero’s Journey.

12 Comments

I love the idea of this project. Students are making connections between their favorite movies or tv shows and the concept they are learning. I want to revisit this blog post once I am a teacher and see if I can create something similar based on my curriculum.

Hi Angel, Thank you for reading.

Hi! This is great!

What were the texts (poems and short stories) that you would use to teach the hero's journey?

Hi Yinka, Thank you for reading. I will be publishing a blog post this weekend about the literature I use when teaching hero's journey.

I did a long unit with my high school students where we watched the cartoon mini Series Over the Garden Wall then plotted the moments of the Hero’s Journey together.

This comment has been removed by the author.

I love this project. I would like to try it with my grade 11 ESL students.

I forget to ask: Which short story do you use with your graphic organizer?

One of my favorite stories to use is Contents of a Dead Man's Pockets.

I so love this project. Will the project guidelines and rubric be available for purchase on your TPT store? Thanks so much for sharing this great idea!

I don't have a rubric for this assignment right now. It is one that I give mostly full credit on as long as students mostly get the concept.

I have been tinkering with adjusting my units for next year so that there is a cohesive, year-long focus. I never thought about teaching The Hero's Journey first thing, but I like the sound of this! Coincidentally, my first short story is "Thank You, M'am" which you mentioned in the second post. Thanks yet again for making me a better teacher!

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The Hero's Journey

August 24, 2023, angela haupt for time, adapted by tfk editors.

Have you ever thought of yourself as the main character of a heroic adventure? It could be good for your health. Research suggests that imagining yourself on a hero’s journey could help you achieve a more meaningful life.

You might be familiar with the hero’s journey. It’s a common storyline in books and movies. Mulan, Harry Potter, and Luke Skywalker, courageously facing their trials, all take this journey.

The idea was first made popular by the mythologist × mythologist a person who studies myths and other traditional stories (noun) The mythologist read books about ancient cultures. Joseph Campbell. In 1949, he published The Hero with a Thousand Faces . The book details the structure of the hero’s journey. In its most basic form, a hero goes on an adventure, emerges victorious from a defining crisis, and returns home changed for the better.

Try imagining yourself as a hero on a journey. It'll do you good.

In a recent study, scientists at Boston College, in Massachusetts, found that seeing your life as a hero’s journey can benefit your mental health. It can boost your confidence, especially when you’re trying new experiences. Heroes thrive on danger. “That sets them off on a quest × quest a journey in search of something (noun) Milo set out on a quest to find his lost lunchbox. where they encounter friends and mentors, [and] face challenges,” says Benjamin A. Rogers, an author of the study. “And [they] return home to benefit their community with what they’ve learned.”

The study found that seeing your life as an adventure can enhance well-being, increase satisfaction, and reduce depression. It just takes some imagination. “The way people tell their life story shapes how meaningful their lives feel,” Rogers says. “You don’t have to live a super heroic life or be a person of adventure—virtually anyone can rewrite their story as a hero’s journey.”

Getting Started

How can you start imagining your life as a hero’s journey? Here, experts share some strategies.

Keep a journal.

Ask yourself: What makes you you ? Describe your personality and core values. Think about events in your life that made you who you are today. Then ponder the challenges that stand in your way, and which allies can help you on your journey. Writing down a few sentences can help.

Ask: Who’s my favorite character in a movie or book?

Think of what appeals to you about that character. They probably inspire you because you relate to their positive qualities. Keeping them in mind can help you see yourself through a more heroic lens.

Flip the way you see obstacles.

Going through a tough time? See your problems as challenges. Think of them as opportunities for growth and learning. A challenge is a chance to develop strength and be the hero of your own story.

Go on more heroic adventures.

“We like people who have new experiences and grow from their challenges,” Rogers says. So seek out something new. It can be simple, like walking a new route to school. Or it can be dramatic, like borrowing a bike and riding it to school.

When you need a boost, think of your heroes.

Say you’re facing a big challenge. Lou Ursa, a therapist in California, suggests thinking of a favorite hero’s story. “[It] can help you have that eagle-eye view of what might be next for you, or what you should be paying attention to,” Ursa says. “Stories become this map that we can always turn to.” That can be reassuring. It reminds you that a new chapter almost certainly awaits you.

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Rethinking Schools

Non-Restricted Content

Why I Don’t Teach the Hero’s Journey

By Michelle Kenney

When I was in 9th grade, Ms. Kleeg taught us The Odyssey , a timeless story about a boatful of guys who got lost in the Mediterranean for 20 years. I hated it. I remember the queasy feeling in my stomach as we took turns reading Homer’s epic poem of Ulysses’ long journey home and all of the wicked women who tried to bring him down. We learned about Circe, the femme fatale-style goddess who turned men into animals, the cruel sirens who lured good men to their deaths, and the worst in my view, the mealy-mouthed Penelope, too weak to say no to her suitors and too passive to do anything but sit in her bedroom weaving and unweaving all day.

Even though I probably couldn’t have articulated this thought at that age, deep down I knew that none of those females presented good options for me or modeled the adult I hoped to become.

Worse still, the story of the sailors forced to pass between the sea monster Scylla and the sucking whirlpool Charybdis was too dangerously close to my daily experience navigating the hallways of middle school in the late ’70s, trying to avoid the twin dangers of boys who made grabbing motions toward my breasts and the ones who called me a “dog” for wearing glasses. In class, it was the same boys who enjoyed the exploits of the brave Ulysses the most. When it was my turn to read, I would numbly recite my passage and go back to reading a copy of Pride and Prejudice hidden in my lap.

By the time my son lugged home a copy of The Odyssey in middle school, many teachers were framing it as a “hero’s journey.”

Based on the work of theologian Joseph Campbell, the hero’s journey curriculum highlights a common structural pattern present across narrative stories, myths, dramas, and religious rites. In a hero’s journey curriculum, students apply these patterns to literature in order to unmask the commonality or “monomyth” in all epic storytelling. According to Campbell, “A hero ventures forth from the world of common day into a region of supernatural wonder: fabulous forces are there encountered and a decisive victory is won: The hero comes back from this mysterious adventure with the power to bestow boons on his fellow man.”

The hero’s journey consists of 17 steps as the protagonist (always male in Campbell’s view) leaves the ordinary “feminine” world and ventures into the special world to re-emerge, transformed, back home. In Campbell’s view, the hero’s cycle and the character archetypes within it (the mentor, the villain, the trickster) supposedly exist deep in the human mind and evoke a profound response from the reader.

The hero’s journey has become a popular theory English teachers use to frame units around many novels, poems, and films. From The Odyssey to the first installment of the Star Wars series, students across the country identify and track the developmental stages of — face it — an almost always male protagonist as he navigates the stages of his hero’s journey.

I suppose I’m lucky to teach in a district that up until now hasn’t mandated teaching the hero’s journey, an approach that has always rubbed me the wrong way. I want all my students to not only recognize themselves in their reading, but also to learn about the world beyond, acknowledge their responsibilities to each other, and learn how to come together to shape the world that they live in. Because of its singular focus on the development of the individual, the hero’s journey does nothing to help our students progress toward the goal of becoming well-educated critical thinkers and thoughtful citizens of a democracy.

Events in the past few years make me wonder if it isn’t time for teachers to learn a few things from their students. All around the country, young people are coming together to organize for change. The student survivors of Parkland re-energized the national debate over gun control, the Black Lives Matter movement linked young people across the country together in the quest for racial justice, and others, like the 11th-grade students at Madison High School in Portland, where I taught for six years, came together en masse two years ago for an all-day sit-in to protest the sexual harassment of female students on campus. These young people understand the value of their collective efforts in standing up to the sexism of the status quo, a remarkable and ironic achievement given the relentless focus on the importance of the individual in so many of their English classes. Their success makes me question even more the extent to which our curricula — those sacred cows of the canon — help or hinder our students’ progress toward becoming well-educated critical thinkers and thoughtful citizens of a democracy.

In my classroom, I introduce readings that focus on the transformative effect of communities rather than individuals. In Warriors Don’t Cry , Melba Pattillo Beals’ memoir of the integration of Little Rock Central High School, I use activities that focus on the ability of groups to bring about significant social change. Before we even begin reading the book, I use Rethinking Schools editor Linda Christensen’s role play to re-enact the Little Rock school board’s decision to integrate the high schools. In this activity, students take on the role of community stakeholders debating the surprisingly nuanced pros and cons of school integration. Throughout the reading I focus students’ attention on the strength the Little Rock Nine drew every day from each other and the NAACP as they faced down racist hostility and violence both in and out of school.

I also teach Renée Watson’s This Side of Home , a novel about the collective efforts of a school community coming to grips with change. The African American protagonists, Maya and Nikki, live in a gentrifying neighborhood in North Portland. Their high school, previously a bastion of Black culture and history, replaces a Black history assembly with a watered-down “multicultural festival” that a diverse group of students organize against. Maya and Nikki’s individual goals and concerns are important and relatable to any teenager, but it is their efforts as part of a collective that bring maturity and growth in both their personalities and communities.

Young people need to know that meaningful social change comes about through social movements rather than the actions of the lone “heroic” individual they may learn about in traditional history classes. It was only through the work of committed groups that women in the United States gained the right to vote, and African Americans the right to equal employment opportunities, education, and housing — struggles that are still ongoing.

Although some of the students I teach have an instinctive grasp of this, young people still rely on their educators to frame curriculum in a way that acknowledges the power of the collective, instead of falling back on familiar approaches like the hero’s journey — a reactionary model that forces students to treat the (usually white, male) individual as the prime mover of life, the only one worthy of growth and change. This framework banishes other voices and other points of view to obscurity, and minimizes the importance of organizing for political and social justice.

In department meetings and other venues, teachers need to engage in critical conversations about the values imparted in curriculum if we really want to teach for equity and social justice and help our students become agents for change.

Michelle Kenney ([email protected]) also wrote “The Politics of the Paragraph,” which was published in the summer 2016 issue of Rethinking Schools.

Illustrator Sawsan Chalabi’s work can be seen at schalabi.com

Purchase PDF of this Article

Included in:

Volume 34, No. 1

WHAT IS IT?

This dynamic and unique program is not an add-on to already busy schedules and overflowing unit plans. It is an effective and efficient way to introduce, discuss, apply, and assess the Core standards in a meaningful way that the students and educators will be engaged in because it’s about them.

Every student becomes a published author!

Most of the curriculum is given in the “outside in” approach, where information and data is presented to the student. Maybe it will sink in, maybe it won’t. Writing is very different. It’s the part of the curriculum that comes from the “inside out”. It comes from within the student — his or her thoughts, feelings, opinions, passions, understanding, fears, interests, etc. — and is expressed to the outside world. That is why Claim Your Story is so effective and engaging. It can take all parts of the curriculum and apply them to the students’ experiences and thoughts – their stories.

Claim Your Story is an instant and dynamic way to discover and apply key Core standards in literacy. However, it goes beyond that. It is a powerful toolkit for Character Education, class management, social skills, and much more. “Claim Your Story” enables students to discover, appreciate, and celebrate their own stories – as well as the stories of others.

This isn’t just a whirlwind program to go with whatever is trending. Claim Your Story uses the standards of literacy to leave a legacy.

EVERY UNIT INCLUDES:

Our curriculum toolbox is complete with, content filled unit plans.

Each unit contains worksheets, reading suggestions, group activities, individual activities, and writing exercises.

ONLINE RESOURCE CENTER

Teachers will enjoy a full resource center with video tutorials, unit plans, worksheets, and support materials.

DIGITAL BOOK

Each student will become an author of their very own digital book with options to print.

MUSIC CURRICULUM

Students will learn 9 unique and engaging songs that correspond with the Claim Your Story units.

APPLICATIONS TO THE 6 C’S OF EDUCATION

CREATIVITY & IMAGINATION

This realm includes artistic expression; However, it encompasses developing new ways to do things in addition to art. Creativity is at the essence of each Claim Your Story unit, with a focus on each student discovering, creating, and sharing his or her own personal story and expressing it in a variety of ways, as he or she becomes the hero of his or her own story.

It's through the entire process of Claim Your Story, with every unit and every activity that each student discovers and develops his or her own unique character. Each student understands that his or her thoughts, feelings, and behavior contribute to who they are as a person and what he or she can contribute to the larger group - the community. It truly is the evolution and power of discovering, developing, and sharing one's own story.

COMMUNICATION

Each student develops speaking and writing skills that help him or her effectively share life experiences, opinions, and other narratives. With the Claim Your Story curriculum and activities, it is also vital for each student to actively and emphatically listen to others. Students have numerous experiences to be effective communicators throughout the Claim Your Story curriculum.

COLLABORATION

With the Claim Your Story experiences and activities, students soon discover and appreciate their own talents and strengths, as well as those of others. In large and small groups, as well as partnerships, they often work together to reach common goals. It is often with these collaborative team-building experiences that they find that their story is not theirs alone.

CITIZENSHIP

Though there is great power in one's own story, no story is complete on its own. With the Claim Your Story curriculum and process, each student soon comes to realize and appreciate that he or she has a valuable and dynamic part in a larger community. It is in these discussions and activities that students have the exciting discoveries of each individual's importance in a culture and in a community.

CRITICAL THINKING

The process of critical thinking takes information from different sources and media and turns it into a form that is meaningful and makes sense. It involves a student looking at problems and solving them in a new way. Students are met with a variety of questions, tasks, and challenges to which they are expected and encouraged to look through the perspective of their own individual experiences to create their personal answers.

Message from our Founder:

As a world we have found ourselves in a unique climate. Everywhere we look there seem to be hardships, fear and concern. In times of uncertainty and challenge we all seek for tools that help us reach for skills of security, courage, and hope.

The work we do at My Story Matters teaches us that our resiliency is born in these moments. Although things are testing our resolve, we are confident that every student has the superpowers they need within them to navigate anything life brings their way. As the noise around us builds it is important that we each take the time to discover what we know, what is in our circle of control, and where our concerns lie. We can then lean into discovering what our unique superpowers are and how we use them to influence change, hope, and compassion in our communities.

A piece of the curriculum we engage students in revolves around the difficult circumstances life has dealt them. We encourage them to reflect on those situations in our lives and take note of the strengths they now have not in spite of the challenge, but because of it.

The Claim Your Story curriculum is packed with tools and resources that empower students with the tools they need to analyze their past, observe their present and make decisions about their future. They gain tools and resources to help them unleash the hero within to rise to the challenge of creating a future they are excited about.

Claim Your Story is built around engaging and alternative learning methods. We are committed to helping teachers engage in these important units with their students. Our step by step approach helps students and teachers work together to unleash the hero within. We are taking steps to provide additional materials and resources to aid educators in helping students to process the current events against the landscape of their individual stories.

Amy Chandler

CEO, Founder

In Partnership with

THE HEROIC JOURNEY CURRICULUM

A Social Emotional Learning and Bullying Prevention Program

Which Draws from Evidence-Based Modalities

32 Lesson Plans  

• Approximately 25 - 45 Minutes Each

• Use Individually or Contiguously 

• Aligned to the Common Core State Standards and CASEL Frameworks

• Health & Wellness Class • Advisory Block • Zero Period

• After School

• Small School-based Counselling &  Support Groups

Using examples  critically acclaimed television, comics and film , which children and teens find relatable and accessible, the Coalition’s pop-culture-savvy clinical psychologists and experts have developed a comprehensive, thirty-two lesson plan Curriculum.  

It is rooted in  best practices around bullying and violence prevention ; we integrate   key research findings  from the field into our learning objectives and lessons, while also speaking a language that children and teens love.

Topics include: 

• Violence prevention 

• Responding to bullying, racism, misogyny, LGBTQI+bullying 

• Teaching empathy 

• Resiliency 

• How to seek help 

• Handling anger, depression, anxiety 

• Checking implicit bias 

• Becoming allies for targets

• Conflict resolution 

• Restorative practices

• Healthy personal identity (crucial for ending fear and bias)

• Addressing emotional pain that leads to behaviors such as self-harm, addiction, and risk behaviors 

The Curriculum works to develop students’  social and emotional skills , using  techniques based on evidence-based therapeutic modalities , such as  cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and  acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). 

Representation matters, and the Heroic Journey Curriculum is available with pop culture references that will resonate specifically with children of color.

Since 2013, our team has presented forms of our work at countless conferences, including at:

• The Inaugural Educational Leadership Series: School Climate and Public Policy Forum, in Partnership with Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and RULER 

• The United Nations Headquarters • NY, NY

• UNESCO Headquarters • Paris, France

• The Anti-Defamation League Cyberbullying Conference • San Diego, CA 

• The International Bullying Prevention Association Conference • San Diego, CA 

• The World Anti-Bullying Forum • Dublin, Ireland

Please see the Efficacy of Using Pop Culture Research Here

© 2020. CASEL.

CURRICULUM CREATORS

The Heroic Journey Curriculum is created by a team of renowned clinical psychologists, internationally acclaimed bullying prevention experts, and educators. 

For questions, pricing, and to get this groundbreaking, powerful program into your school, please contact Chase Masterson: [email protected]

CARRIE GOLDMAN

FOUNDING PARTNER & CURRICULUM DIRECTOR

Carrie Goldman is the author of Harper Collins’ Bullied: What Every Parent, Teacher, and Kid Needs to Know About Ending the Cycle of Fear, winner of the National Parenting  Publication Award and Mom’s Choice Award. ​                 

Goldman has written on childhood development for The NY Times, Washington Post, U.S. News & World Report, CNN, Huffington Post, and other notable publications. She has garnered acclaim for her work on bullying and social conflict, appearing on NPR, MSNBC, CNN, The NY Times, ABC Radio, and others. She gives keynote addresses to companies, universities, and schools about bullying prevention, intervention, and reconciliation; digital citizenship; the academic effects of gender inequality; restorative justice and resolving social conflict.

In Bullied, Goldman brings together leading authorities with accounts of peer victimization to present proven strategies and tools for teaching children how to speak up and carry themselves with confidence; call each other out on cruelty; resolve conflict; and cope with teasing, taunting, physical abuse, and cyberbullying. Goldman received her B.S. from Northwestern and her M.B.A. from the Kellogg School of Management. She also serves as Treasurer of Pop Culture Hero Coalition.

DR. JANINA SCARLET

CURRICULUM CREATOR & CHIEF PSYCHOLOGIST

Dr. Janina Scarlet is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist, author,  TEDx speaker , and a full-time geek. A Ukrainian-born refugee, she survived Chernobyl radiation and persecution. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 12 with her family and later, inspired by  the X-Men , developed  Superhero Therapy  to help patients with anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Dr. Scarlet is the recipient of the Eleanor Roosevelt Human Rights Award by the United Nations Association for her work on Superhero Therapy.  Her work has been featured on Yahoo, BBC, NPR, Sunday Times, CNN, CW, ABC, The New York Times, Forbes, and many other outlets. She regularly consults on books and television shows, including HBO’s The Young Justice. She was also portrayed as a comic book character in Gail Simone’s Seven Days graphic novel. Dr. Scarlet is the Lead Trauma Specialist at the  Center for Stress and Anxiety Management  in San Diego and with the Pop Culture Hero Coalition.

She authored ten books and has written chapters for fourteen others. Her books include  Superhero Therapy ,  Harry Potter Therapy ,  Therapy Quest ,  Dark Agents ,  Super-Women , and  It Shouldn’t Be This Way .

DR. LAADA DEMUS

DIVERSITY & INCLUSION CONTENT CREATOR

Dr.  LaAdah Demus has been an elementary educator for over a decade. She has Bachelors and Masters degree in Elementary Education and a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership. Over the course of her career, she has written curriculum, lead district professional developments, wrote and been awarded educational grants, recognized as a highly effective educator, created and led educational research, and has published a scholarly article titled “Virtual Coaching in Elementary Schools.” 

Additionally, Dr. Demus is a children’s book author for Yellow Creations, LLC and has published “I Like It Loud: A Tale of Unilateral Hearing Loss.”

Dr. Demus has a wealth of cultural experience from teaching within Title I schools, private schools, and teaching overseas. As the Diversity Content Creator for Pop Culture Hero Coalition, she is dedicated to ensuring brown children are represented with fidelity. 

DR. ALI MATTU

CURRICULUM CREATOR

Ali Mattu is a clinical psychologist who specializes in the treatment of anxiety. He aspires to bring psychology to everyone, everywhere, by hosting THE PSYCH SHOW, writing about the psychology of science fiction at Brain Knows Better, presenting to the public, and advocating for the brain and behavior sciences through the American Psychological Association. 

Dr. Mattu is an assistant professor at the Columbia University Medical Center. He received his B.A. from the UCLA where he majored in psychology and minored in Asian American studies. Dr. Mattu received his Ph.D. in clinical psychology from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. He completed a doctoral internship at Bellevue Hospital Center and a post-doctoral fellowship at NYU Langone Medical Center's Child Study Center.

Dr. Mattu is working with Pop Culture Hero Coalition on Crisis Support Network, being created with Random Acts, To Write Love on Her Arms and IM Alive. Known as a “forward thinker” in the field of psychology, Dr. Mattu was named one of The Mighty’s mental health heroes of 2015.

DR. ELISABETTA DI MINICO

Dr. Elisabetta Di Minico is a professor who has taught at universities in Italy and Spain; she has been featured at events in New York, Chicago, and San Diego on the use of dystopian themes in film, TV, comics, and literature.She is an expert speaker and author on using fictional stories and characters, which captivate youth, to teach Social Emotional Learning, including healthy, positive values and respectful, interpersonal behavior.

BRANDON MATSALIA

Brandon Matsalia is currently a resident guest-teacher with San Bernardino City Unified School District. H has previously taught at Crafton Hills College, California Baptist University and Aquinas High school. Brandon’s academic interests include African-American literature, critical race theory, composition, and social critical theory. Brandon currently contributes his services to Women in Comics International as a panel moderator and content promoter.

CREATOR, DISABILITIES PROGRAM

In 2005, Scott Palm founded Palmtree Enterprises, through which he provides mentoring services to people who use Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) devices, disability awareness programs for schools and businesses, and resilience and anti-bullying programs for schools. He has been an Ambassador for Prentke Romich Company, the manufacturer of his communication device, since 1992.On the national scene, Scott has participated as a panelist at California State University Northridge’s Center on Disabilities Conference and as a guest at the Pittsburg Employment Conference; he has presented at the International Society for Augmentative and Alternative Communication conference, among other important events. He serves on the planning committee for the Alternative Communication Employment Conference and is a member of the Snohomish County Developmental Disabilities Advisory Board.

Scott obtained both an Associate Degree in Business and an Associate Degree in Arts. He has worked for the Washington State Liquor Control Board. An internship with Washington State Congressman John Miller turned into a permanent position that lasted until Congressman Miller retired in 1993.

Scott has lectured both in person and online to students at the University of Washington. He is a strong advocate for continued Department of Health and Social Services funding for AAC devices in Washington State.Scott has cerebral palsy and has lived alone in an apartment in Everett, WA, throughout his entire career, receiving 24 hour support as needed. 

DR. DELINAH HURWITZ

CRISIS RESPONSE TEAM

Dr. Hurwitz spent the first two decades of her career working clinically with at risk children and families with multiple diagnoses and struggles. She's spent the last sixteen years educating future therapists and continues to do pro bono clinical interventions when called upon. Dr. Hurwitz has been invited to speak on several occasions to share her clinical knowledge with professionals, parent groups, and private organizations. 

She's known for her grace under pressure, as well as her strong ability to connect with people to bring calm and help elicit growth. While always volunteering on at least one or two boards, Dr. Hurwitz has received honors and awards for outstanding teaching and regularly is in the top 5% of her educators in her department with student evaluations. 

We are working to raise funding to expand our team and outreach, which will include Dr. Hurwitz, Dr. Janina Scarlet and Dr. Andrea Letamendi on an availability basis.

DR. ANDREA LETAMENDI

As seen on the cover of the American Psychological Association flagship magazine, The Monitor on Psychology, Dr. Andrea Letamendi is a psychologist, consultant, and TEDx Speaker. She received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from UCSD and has trained at UCLA and the West Los Angeles VA Hospital. Dr. Letamendi is the former Director of Clinical Training at Hathaway-Sycamores Child and Family Services and currently serves as UCLA’s Associate Director of Residential Life for Mental Health Training, Intervention and Response, as well as the Interim Director of the UCLA Resilience Center.

Dr. Letamendi’s areas of expertise include multicultural diversity, treatment for trauma and stressor-related disorders, interventions for bullying and cyber-bullying, and psychological resiliency. 

As an educator and mental health advocate, Dr. Letamendi has led seminars and lectures at universities, mental health agencies, and pop culture conventions nationwide. 

Dr. Letamendi’s guest appearances include HLN's Dr. Drew On Call, Al Jazeera English News, and Geek and Sundry. Her TED Talk about Resiliency and Superheroes is available online.

DR. KIERE EICHELBERGER

A Navy Veteran, Dr. Eichelberger is a licensed clinical psychologist in California, Hawaii, and Virginia. She was born in San Francisco, CA and raised in San Diego, CA. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, spent several summers and winters during her childhood in Venezuela, and studied abroad in Spain. She completed her doctoral training in clinical psychology (health psychology track) at Alliant International University San Diego, CA campus.

Her predoctoral internship and postdoctoral residency were completed at Naval Medical Center San Diego where she also served four years as an active duty clinical psychologist and Lieutenant. Dr. Eichelberger has had the opportunity to work in a variety of clinical settings including community clinics, veterans affairs, and universities. Her therapeutic philosophy includes incorporating patient-centered multicultural perspectives into treatment in addition to viewing her patients through the lens of whole health/integrative medicine and wellness. 

She currently resides in Northern CA between Endor and Starfleet Academy (aka Marin County). She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, roller skating, creating music, and teaching her cats new tricks.

DR. BILLY SAN JUAN

Dr. Billy obtained a PsyD from Alliant International University in 2014. He is a San Diego based therapist working in the community mental health field, a graduate-level adjunct professor, convention panelist, and writer. His professional interests include masculinity as a culture, the psychology of the horror genre, and the dichotomies of human nature.

He has contributed to Doctor Who Psychology, Star Wars Psychology, Star Trek Psychology, Captain America vs Iron Man: Freedom, Security, Psychology; Supernatural Psychology, and more.

VANÉE MATSALIA

Vanée Matsalia was named 2020 Teacher of the Year and is a GATE certified Demonstration teacher for San Bernardino City Unified School District. She is an integral member of the district’s Rigorous Curriculum Design team; she also serves on the Curriculum, Instruction and Assessment committee for the Secondary Education department.

Vanée also works as a freelance journalist for organizations such as  BlackGirlNerds.com  and is the west coast coordinator for Women in Comics International. She is a frequent speaker at both educational and pop culture conferences alike.

MATT LANGDON

Matt Langdon is the founder and chair of the Hero Construction Company, creator of the Hero Round Table (the world's leading conference on heroism), and a board member of Dr. Philip Zimbardo's Heroic Imagination Project. He has spoken to audiences across the United States, Europe, and Australia.

LESLIE MEISELMAN

Leslie Meiselman has twenty-one years of experience as a writer, editor, and project manager with expertise developing educational web-based, print, and software products for the K-12 market. She has taught all subjects at the elementary and middle school level.

DR. KYLE ERWIN

CONSULTANT, SPECIAL NEEDS 

Dr. Kyle Erwin has worked for over 15 years as a public school teacher, special education teacher, school administrator, and psychotherapist.  In these positions, he has worked primarily with teens and families to address difficulties related to autism spectrum disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Dr. Erwin has also worked extensively to aid children and parents with school based issues related to social emotional struggles. He has also aided teachers and psychotherapists to improve school programs in order to best meet the individual needs of adolescents.  This has included technology integration programs, teacher training, social skills training programs, and regularly chairing visiting committees for the Western Association of Schools and Colleges.

He holds a bachelor's degree in History Education from Northern Arizona University, master's and doctorate degrees in Education from the University of Southern California, and a master's in Marital and Family Therapy from Alliant International University.

PCHC Heroic Journey Tool Kit

The Heroic Journey Curriculum

K-6th Sample Video

Implicit Bias