Frequently Asked Questions

Hero Journey Club offers a unique, weekly subscription service for group mental health sessions in various video games, including Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing, and many more.

With a limit of 5 members per session, these groups are anonymous, only your Discord username and avatar will be shared to other members.

Led by trained therapists (PsyD, LMFT, LCSW, LMHC), our sessions provide an engaging and secure environment for discussing and addressing a wide range of mental health issues, such as depression, anxiety, addiction, identity, and more.

All within the comfort of your favorite gaming worlds.

The subscription for Hero Journey Club is $30 per week. This cost includes a weekly 80-minute group session within various video games, personalized worksheets and tools for each session, and access to a private Discord channel exclusively for your group. This structure ensures a consistent, engaging, and supportive experience every week as part of our commitment to your mental health journey through gaming.

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The sessions primarily focus on mental health support, and we host them in gaming environments because it's often more comfortable for people to engage in spaces where they naturally relax and socialize. Gaming serves as a familiar and stress-relieving backdrop that enables our members to feel less pressure than a traditional therapeutic environment. This helps keep participants engaged and lessens any awkwardness while listening to others. We usually set a game mission or goal at the start and play casually as the session progresses, using gaming as a secondary activity to support the session's atmosphere.

We keep the group capped at 5 people so that there’s enough time to have everyone share and get support. We usually start with a round of intros (anonymously), a quick check in question, and then we pick a theme to discuss as a group. The therapist facilitates the session by going around the room and having each person share if they’d like to. They will introduce worksheets and tools based on CBT/DBT/ACT techniques and other evidence-based resources, as needed, to give members a tangible area to work on. And then they close out the session with a specific commitment or reflection on the topic.

In addition to the sessions, we offer shared video game worlds, like our Minecraft realm, which can be accessed during and between sessions. This realm, built by our members, is constantly evolving with new projects. This interactive aspect is integral to our upcoming programs, where we plan to create game environments tailored to various mental health themes.

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All of our therapists (group facilitators) are licensed and accredited therapists (PsyD, LMHC, LPCC, LMFT, or LCSW) who hold either a Doctorate or Master’s degree in a counseling field but they are NOT providing therapy through Hero Journey Club.

They all have had ample training in facilitating group mental health support sessions anchored in evidence-based techniques like CBT, DBT, and ACT, supporting members in a range of mental health topics like depression, generalized anxiety, stress, social anxiety, addiction, trauma, etc in addition to more thematic areas like neurodivergence (autism, adhd, etc) and identity (gender, sexuality, purpose, childhood experiences).

While our therapists have clinical training, they cannot act in the capacity of psychotherapists. We work with licensed experts because we believe in providing quality, evidence-based support but only they function as group facilitators.

They will rely on their supportive and well-being skills in helping you benefit from group sessions, but they will not evaluate or diagnose conditions, construct individual treatment plans, prescribe medication, or assess and treat crises. We can route you to crisis resources should you need help in that area but we are not equipped to address crisis situations.
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Before assigning you to a group, you will be able to review the credentials and experience of your therapist to make sure that you are comfortable working with them.

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Nope! The only thing you pay for is time with our facilitators, who are experienced therapists with training in evidence-based mental health support.

Our pricing is designed to be as affordable as possible while ensuring quality care. The rate of $30 for an 80-minute session, approximately $22 per hour, is set below the typical cost range for therapy groups, which is usually $40-70 per hour. By focusing on a group support approach, we are able to ensure affordability without compromising the high standards of our support services.The fees primarily cover the costs of engaging professional therapists, who typically charge between $150-300 per hour for their services. Our goal is to make mental health support accessible while providing expert guidance.

Our game selection is thoughtfully curated to enhance our mental health sessions. We support a range of popular games including Minecraft (both Bedrock and Java editions), Stardew Valley (PC and Switch versions), Animal Crossing, Palia, and Final Fantasy XIV. While our primary focus is on the mental health aspect of the sessions, these games are chosen to foster a comfortable and connected virtual environment for our members. Whether it's building worlds in Minecraft or adventuring in Stardew Valley, each game provides a unique backdrop to our supportive group sessions.

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We offer a money back guarantee on your first session, if you are unhappy with the first session for any reason, we will refund you, no questions asked. If our service isn’t a good fit, cancel your membership at any time, no strings attached. You can also switch groups or therapists if you feel like your group isn’t a good fit for you.

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Unfortunately, as a sub-clinical service, we don't currently take any form of insurance.
In lieu of this, we've priced our groups to match the average copay for most folks at $30/session!

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Our focus is on providing general support, social connection, psychoeducation, referrals to clinical services and crisis support, and opportunities to practice what has been learned. We are not a substitute for therapy and cannot provide licensed, personalized medical care.

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No. Hero Journey Club is not a substitute for psychotherapy or medical advice. Our group sessions are not deep enough to provide any diagnoses or treatments. Hero Journey Club is an additional tool in the mental health toolbox.

While our facilitators are licensed therapists, they do not provide psychotherapy in this setting. They will help you benefit from group sessions by providing support & steering conversations, but they will not evaluate or diagnose conditions, construct individual treatment plans, prescribe medication, or assess & treat crises. Should you need help, we can provide crisis resources, but we are not equipped to address crisis situations.

We are a subclinical resource led by experts in emotional & mental wellbeing. We highly suggest you also work with a 1-on-1 therapist or psychiatrist for deeper support. Many of our members see their own psychiatrist or therapist in addition to joining our groups.

About half of our members see a psychiatrist or 1x1 therapist outside of HJC and use our sessions  as an additional tool in their self care routine. 

No this is not therapy, but it is therapeutic. We do not provide licensed care. Our therapists are facilitating support groups and incorporating  psychoeducation.
Clinical services provide diagnoses, treatment plans for those diagnoses, can evaluate and treat crises, and can coordinate care with other licensed medical professionals.
Subclinical services provide general support, social connection, psychoeducation, referrals to clinical services and crisis support, and opportunities to practice what has been learned.

Hero Journey Club is a subclinical resource to help people understand themselves, their thoughts, and their feelings. As noted, many of our therapists have clinical training, but the scope of practice for this service means that it is not a substitute for licensed medical care. About half of our members see a psychiatrist or 1x1 therapist in addition to being part of our weekly group sessions. We highly encourage everyone to get the right care they need, from wherever they can.

The main values of our sessions are psychoeducation and group-based processing of stressors, actionable CBT/DBT/ACT skills to apply situationally, a sense of connection with people who are going through similar challenges, and a community of similarly-minded people who can support you through the rough patches.

Seeking mental health support can be intimidating and daunting for many. Being anonymous means that members can choose how much personal information they share during sessions with other members. Most members refer to each other with their gamertags so each member can share as much or as little as they would like with the rest of their group. That said, while we are legally obligated to collect information about our participants, that information is only used to understand which groups to place members in, monitor for any signs of increased acuity/severity, and in cases of emergency where we have to reach out to emergency contacts or authorities to intervene for the member’s safety.
This approach helps lower the barriers to seeking mental health support, providing a comfortable and secure environment for everyone.

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Yes, absolutely!

You can find our open positions here: https://www.herojourney.club/careers

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You can learn more about the Journey Guide role here: https://www.herojourney.club/clinicians

Our program is designed for adults over 18 and we have members ranging from 18 to 60 years old, but most of our members are in their early 20s and 30s. We recently launched a youth program, learn about it here!

Hero Journey Club is designed for individuals aged 18 over who are seeking quality mental health support and self-improvement, or those looking for an introduction to understanding themselves better. It's geared towards helping people explore and comprehend their thoughts and emotions in a supportive environment.

We recently launched a youth program for kids under 18, learn about it here!

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Your first step towards your session is completing the onboarding tasks. This initial phase is crucial as it helps us understand your specific needs and availability. Once your onboarding is complete, the Hero Journey Club team gets to work to find a group that matches your preferences.

We generally match members with a suitable group within 24 hours (sometime instantaneously) after completing onboarding. However, this timeline can vary. Factors such as limited availability or specific requests for a group can extend the matching process. We strive to balance the speed of matching with the importance of finding the right group for you.

After we have identified the right group for you, the next step is for you to confirm your participation. Once you confirm that the group offer works for you, we will provide you with all the necessary information to join your first session. Our team is dedicated to ensuring a smooth start to your journey with us.

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You will be charged for your first session only after you accept the group match proposed by our team. This ensures that your billing aligns with your actual participation in the program. Once your first session is complete, the next charge will be scheduled 48 hours before your second session. This billing cycle will continue, with charges being applied 48 hours prior to each subsequent session, as long as you remain enrolled in our program.

Our subscription model automatically charges subscribers 48 hours before each scheduled session. If you don't notify us at least 48 hours before your session that you can't attend, you will be charged as usual. However, if you inform us less than 48 hours before, we will give you a half session credit towards your next session. Additionally, if you decide to cancel your membership before your first session, we will refund what you paid for that session to your original payment method.

For more details, please refer to our Cancellation Policy.

At Hero Journey Club, we understand that plans can change. If you notify us at least 48 hours in advance that you will be unable to attend a session, you will not be charged for it. However, if you let us know less than 48 hours before your session, we will apply a half session credit to your account, which can be used towards your next session. This policy ensures flexibility while helping us manage our session schedules effectively.

For complete details on session attendance and charges, please refer to our Cancellation Policy.

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You will be charged for your first session only after being offered and accepting a group match. During the signup process, if you if you have not yet accepted a group match and pay prior to being matched, we put a hold on your card to ensure its validity. This approach ensures that billing is aligned with your actual participation in the program.

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Once you accept a match and attend your first session, we will start automatically charging you 48 hours before each of your weekly sessions.

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If you have yet to be matched with a group, please keep an eye on your email for updates about your group match and upcoming session details. Should you have any questions or need assistance, feel free to reach out to our support team by sending an email to support@herojourney.club. We're here to help!

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Once you are matched to a group and accept the match, you will be officially charged for your first session.

If you checked out and are still waiting for a group match, we place an authorization hold on your credit card to verify its validity. This is not an actual charge, and the line item will automatically be removed from your statement by your bank within a couple of days.

It is possible for your first session charge to be processed before your bank removes the initial hold from your statement, making it appear as though you’ve been charged twice. Never fear, your bank is most likely working to remove the hold, and you have only actually been charged once. If you have any doubt or questions about your charges, you can always reach out to us in support for help. 

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You will be officially charged only after you are matched with a group and you accept this match. At this point, we charge the session's fee (minus any applicable promotions) to your card on file. This charge is for your first session.

When you check out and have not yet been matched with a group, we place an authorization hold on your credit card to verify its validity. This is not an actual charge, and the line item will automatically be removed from your statement by your bank within a couple of days.

After your first session, you will be charged weekly, 48 hours before your scheduled session. This cycle automatically continues weekly until you choose to cancel your subscription.