Your Travel Therapist is Here (And She's Got Questions)

This is what happens when assessment obsession meets wanderlust.

What's Another Assessment Got to Do with Travel?

I'm a little obsessed with assessments. I've tested, administered, and taken more than I care to count over the years. So I thought I'd take that know-how and mash it up with my travel experience and therapist brain to create something that gets at WHY certain places call to us.

When people ask about my favorite places, I usually say something social-worker-ish like "every place has something special about it." They roll their eyes, but it's true for me, because of what I know about myself and how I look for opportunities and powerful experiences.

True for you?

There are also places I've loved so much, but when I return, the magic's gone. Why?

It likely has more to do with how I've changed than how the place has. Which got me paying more attention to why and what I look for in a place. Which led me to notice the same in travel with my loved ones and then to notice how strangers around me were taking in the same place.

Well, and then my assessor brain butted in and I couldn't stop looking for patterns and trends in human behavior and thus YOUR Place Stamps were born.

What This Assessment Is (and Isn't)

What it's NOT: A wholly accurate identifier of you. Most assessments are designed to identify patterns based on common tendencies. Yes, some of which are stereotypical. This one is far from scientifically rigorous. My statistician friends, please be gentle. Reliability and validity are TBD.

What it IS based on: Four pillars (okay, 8 disguised as 4) that I've found to be true in my work with humans and time observing humans in travel-like states:

1. Connection & Community

2. Growth & Transformation

3. Adventure & Exploration

4. Knowledge & Experience

There’s more to come on this, but for now I hope you get the gist.

Why 8 Stamps?

Short answer: The 17 I started with were all over the place.

I began with types ranging from foodies to shoppers to sports fans, but they weren't discrete enough to hold up to the rigors I put them through. After tinkering and testing, these eight seem to be holding up…so far.

So, sorry if you don't see your exact favorite activity in the descriptions. I'm excited we'll dive into specifics at the YOUR Places Club.

Why 16 Questions?

Same short answer: The 58 I started with were all over the place.

I'm all for "no stupid ideas" during brainstorming, but "what if you could only eat purple food while traveling?" wasn't going to help anybody. These sixteen seem to be doing the job of sorting out the most crucial characteristics.

Here's Where I Need You

I need your help making sure these eight stamps are the final types. If you haven't already, please take the quiz. Then let me know through the survey link or chat, email, or postcard from your current location (bonus points for terrible tourist photos). I want to know what you think about any of it - the formatting, the questions, the types.

I'm eager for your feedback. “Continuous improvement,” as my Pops always said.

What's In It For You?

Early access to the YOUR Place Club.