Quiz: Which Healer Archetype Are You?

by Keri Mangis

We all have a little bit of the Healer within us. Which Healer archetype best suits you and your unique journey?

What comes to mind first when you think about the role of the Healer? Do you picture doctors setting broken bones or nurses attending to a sick patient? Do you think about yoga teachers, therapists, or Reiki practitioners? How about the friend who simply stays by your side, through thick and thin, never judging, never pushing?

If we think about healing as little more than fixing or curing, perhaps very few of us are Healers. But healing, in the larger context, is not simply the curing of ailments, but also includes the entire process of reaching wellness. Healing is about the small and large acts we do every day when we see others in pain or in need.

To heal others, we help them integrate their experiences, make peace or amends, or perhaps just ensure they maintain their dignity through challenging times. While curing can often be done to a patient, healing is done in collaboration with the recipient. With this larger definition of healing, you will discover that all of us have a little bit of the Healer within us.

Answer the questions below as honestly as you can to discover which Healer archetype you most resonate with.

Healer Archetype Quiz

What would you say is your best quality?
1. Always knowing the right thing to say
2. Empowering others to be their best selves
3. Responding well to an emergency
4. Stepping up to help wherever needed
5. Supporting someone through it all
6. Working behind the scenes to support and collaborate with others
What is your most prominent negative tendency?
1. Spending more time talking than listening
2. An over-competitive mindset
3. Seeking out vulnerable people; trying to “save” people
4. Getting lost in helping others; becoming indebted to others
5. Getting burnt out; feeling bitter or angry about the constant work of caring for someone
6. Betraying your own integrity and/or forsaking your journey to support someone else’s
You find fulfillment in…
1. Being able to help people through communication and good advice
2. Healthy competition and setting challenging goals
3. Knowing that everyone around you is safe
4. Service to oneself and to the world
5. Putting your own needs and concerns aside to focus on helping others
6. Doing small tasks that make a big difference
Your top values are…
1. Integrity, honesty, fairness
2. Discipline, purpose, a sense of direction
3. Preparedness, clear thinking
4. Duty, commitment, loyalty, humility
5. Compassion, self-sacrifice, generosity
6. Reliability, devotion
You’ve been told you can be…
1. Bossy; a know-it-all
2. An over-achiever
3. A perpetual victim of circumstance
4. Self-limiting; neglectful of your own needs
5. Overprotective
6. An enabler; blind to larger truths about a person or mission
When you see someone in pain, you automatically…
1. Seek to offer the best advice
2. Help them set goals and stay positive
3. Determine if it’s an emergency; plan out steps to get them help
4. Find small things you can do to help; bring meals, clean the house, etc.
5. Attend personally to their care needs
6. Stay by their side no matter what
At a large family gathering, you might be found…
1. Sitting in a corner with someone who’s had a big life event, offering your advice and wisdom
2. Cheering and toasting to everyone’s accomplishments
3. Listening carefully to see if anyone is in trouble
4. Making the meal, setting the table, clearing the dishes
5. Making sure Grandma and Grandpa are comfortable
6. Hanging out with your favourite brother or sister
A movie/television role you see yourself in:
1. Mr. Miyagi from Karate Kid, Yoda from Star Wars
2. Ted Lasso, Norman Dale from Hoosiers
3. Superman, Wonder Woman
4. Alfred from Batman, Hoke Colburn from Driving Miss Daisy
5. Grant from Away From Her, John from Still Alice
6. Samwise Gamgee from Lord of the Rings, Goose from Top Gun
What is your dream career?
1. Psychologist, spiritual advisor, financial advisor
2. Marketing manager, small business advisor, personal trainer
3. Emergency room operator, first responder, rehab facility caretaker
4. Flight attendant, nurse, Peace Corps volunteer
5. Long-term care facility caretaker, daycare worker, pro-bono lawyer
6. Personal assistant, consultant, lifelong friend/spouse
You believe pain is…
1. An indicator that new life choices need to be made
2. Something to overcome
3. Something to fix
4. Something to endure
5. Something that gets better over time, with patience and gentleness
6. Always lighter when shared

The Results of Your Healer Archetype Quiz

If You Answered Mostly A’s

You Are a Counsellor

Whether you are a counsellor in your professional life or not, you have the gift of knowing just the right thing to say and when to say it. People come to you for your logical, sound advice. For you, it just comes naturally. Keep in mind, however, that not everyone wants advice, so, no matter how good it might be, practice waiting for someone to ask before offering it.

If You Answered Mostly B’s

You Are a Coach

If you are a Coach archetype, you thrive in situations where you can motivate and inspire others to set and achieve goals. You find healing for yourself and others by leaving the past behind and continually striving forward. You also find healthy competition to be a balm for your own pain and thus encourage others to light this same fire within themselves.

If You Answered Mostly C’s

You Are a Rescuer

The Rescuer archetype is always ready in case of an emergency. They are like a lifeguard, jumping in only when they’re really needed, but otherwise not getting involved. They don’t panic; they step in and do what needs to be done. They do not generally stick around afterwards, as the follow-up care is not their specialty. The shadow side of the Rescuer is trying to save people who don’t want to be saved or aren’t ready for saving, as well as undervaluing pain and suffering they don’t deem an “emergency.” They might move from vulnerable person to vulnerable person, seeking to satisfy their need to save, as they thrive so well in emergencies.

If You Answered Mostly D’s

You Are a Servant

The Servant archetype is a challenging one, as helping others brings a sense of joy and fulfillment. But it can also create ties and debts that limit one’s own freedom in the world. The Servant takes pride in offering their services to another and will drop anything to help where needed. In a healthy situation, the Servant also knows when to say no and prioritize their own needs.

If You Answered Mostly E’s

You Are a Caretaker/Nurturer

If you are the first one people call when they need help, or if you are the one who steps up to help an aging parent, you have the Caretaker/Nurturer archetype. You are patient, selfless, protective, considerate, and thoughtful. However, you must remember that the first person to take care of is yourself, as you have a tendency toward burnout, which can easily turn into bitterness.

If You Answered Mostly F’s

You Are a Companion

The Companion is the friendly, easy-going sidekick; they are the Robin to Batman, the Ed McMann to Johnny Carson, the Timon and Pumbaa to Simba. They are quick to offer a shoulder to cry on and are unselfish in their time and commitment to their friend, partner, spouse, or boss. They don’t need or want the limelight; they are happy working behind the scenes and letting someone else take all the credit. Thus, their own personal identity and journey can sometimes be forgotten or diminished in the quest to make someone else look better. The Companion doesn’t judge, criticize, or offer much in the way of advice, which can sometimes turn them into an enabler.