Your Life Story Has a Structure — and It’s More Heroic Than You Think
Almost every life story follows a universal story arc.
Drawing on Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey, which I adapted specifically for life story writing, the Stories that Matter framework guides you through seven stages that reveal the meaning, courage, and wisdom woven through your experiences.
- The Call: Where your story begins
- Resistance and Influencers: The forces that shaped your response
- Tests, Allies, and Enemies: The people who defined the journey
- The Precipitating Event: The moment that demanded everything
- The Cave: Where doubt lives, and courage is tested
- The Ordeal: Where you pushed past the barriers
- The Transformation and Legacy: Who you became and what you carry forward
Hi, I’m Joanna Klein
Hi, I’m Joanna Klein.
I guide adults 50+ through a structured, meaning-focused process of understanding their life story — discovering what shaped them, what changed them, and what it all means.
Using a framework built on the psychology of meaning (Viktor Frankl) and a universal story structure I adapted specifically for life story writing (Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey), I help people move from isolated memories to a coherent, meaningful narrative — one that reflects not just what they did, but who they truly are.
I created this map because I believe every person deserves to understand their own story before they try to tell it.
And that’s what you deserve to discover about yourself.