Walter Greenleaf, PhD & Laura Kusumoto, MS
IVRHA 9th Annual Global Symposium 2025
February 27, 2025
Walter Greenleaf, PhD
Stanford University Virtual Human Interaction Lab
Laura Kusumoto, MS
IterationZero LLC
Hero’s Journey analysis by Christian Greuel, IterationZero
Organized by: International Virtual Reality Healthcare Association
Hosted by: Ringling College of Art and Design, Sarasota, Florida
We explore how immersive technologies are transforming patient care by enabling clinicians to empower individuals in taking a more active role in their healing.
Key takeaways:
– How storytelling enables immersive experiences to enhance patient engagement and outcomes
– The Hero’s Journey framework and how it applies to the patient’s journey
– The potential of narrative for promoting healing and wellness
Examples of Patient as Hero, shown:
– Neuro Rehab VR, courtesy of Veena Somareddy; https://neurorehabvr.com
– Bravemind, courtesy of Dr. Skip Rizzo, USC Institute of Creative Technology
HouseCall VR, courtesy of Dr. Linda Ciavarelli; https://www.housecallvr.com
Publication References:
Campbell, Joseph. The Hero With a Thousand Faces. New York, Pantheon Books, 1949.
Rose, Jason Z. “Contributor: Medication Adherence Is Not a Zero-Sum Game.” American Journal of Managed Care, 5 April, 2025, https://www.ajmc.com/view/contributor…
Torous, J., Lipschitz, J., Ng, M., & Firth, J. (2020). Dropout rates in clinical trials of smartphone apps for depressive symptoms: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Journal of Affective Disorders, 6(15 February 2020), 413-419. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2019.11…
Vidor, King, et al. The Wizard of Oz. Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), 1939.
Vogler, Christopher. The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers. 3rd ed. Studio City, CA, Michael Wiese Productions, 2007.
Wiese, A. M., Reisweber, J., Lambert, M., & Bjork, J. M. (2024). Transcending Self Therapy-Virtual Reality (TST-VR) and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) Treatment Completion in Veterans. Journal of Medical Extended Reality, 1:1, 242-248. https://doi.org/10.1089/jmxr.2024.0025
Image references:
Johanne Miller, First-Time Patient Journey Map, https://uxdesign.cc/ask-rose-a-mental…
Hamilton Health Sciences, My Stroke Recovery Journey Map, https://www.hamiltonhealthsciences.ca…
