Originally published at: https://geektherapy.org/one-path-to-evolution-discussing-the-pains-of-growth-and-breaking-away-from-tradition/
Author: Max Gersten Psy.D
In One Path, Greg Broadmore (Dr. Grordbort’s) and Andy Lanning (Guardians of the Galaxy) transport readers to a brutal prehistoric world where survival is a daily struggle. The comic follows a tribe of cavewomen governed by rigid traditions that have ensured their survival—until one hunter, One Path, dares to challenge the status quo. With bold ideas, she envisions a new way of life, one that could free her people from the constant threat of predators but at the cost of upending everything they have ever known.
This review explores One Path through its stunning visuals, minimal but impactful storytelling, and deep thematic resonance. We’ll discuss how its narrative of change, survival, and breaking from tradition connects to therapeutic interventions, particularly for those navigating personal transformation. By analyzing One Path’s journey, we’ll highlight ways therapists can use this comic to help clients explore values-driven decision-making, resilience in the face of resistance, and the ripple effects of courage in community dynamics.
Cavewomen Wrestle with the Future
This book is visually stunning, with Lanning’s artwork being truly beautiful. He crafts a world that feels both hostile at times and warm and welcoming at others. The chase and fight scenes are bone-crunchingly visceral—certainly not for the faint of heart. Lanning’s pencils ensure that you feel every injury, slash, and death almost as intensely as the characters do.
Broadmoore’s story, centered around a tribe of cavewomen exploring changes in the way they live, is told through simple language, used sparingly throughout the book. The narrative often relies on the art to push the story forward or convey the characters’ emotions, allowing the artwork to do much of the storytelling. This speaks to the strong collaboration between Broadmoore and Lanning, who clearly worked together on a deeper level, using art to replace much of the dialogue within the tribe.
Therapeutic Interventions
The First One Through the Wall Always Gets Bloody
This book is particularly impactful for clients exploring their attachment to tradition and the struggle of breaking away from it, as well as the effects those struggles have on themselves and those around them. The main character, One Path, encourages the tribe to break from tradition—suggesting innovations such as hunting a Tyrannosaurus rex and domesticating dinosaurs. This narrative provides a valuable lens for exploring how our behaviors and decisions impact others, while also validating the difficulties of change, particularly when viewed through a limited perspective. However, as One Path’s journey demonstrates, expanding our perspective and recognizing the ripples of our decisions can be both validating and rewarding.
As humans, we often view the world through a narrow, subjective lens, placing ourselves at the center. Imagine ourselves as a rock tossed into a lake: while we may feel ourselves sinking or failing, what we often fail to see are the ripples we create, lifting others around us. One Path’s efforts to innovate in hunting and domestication lead to both successes and failures, but she might not immediately see the impact of her actions. As readers, however, we can recognize how her journey inspires change within the tribe, such as the Runtling becoming the leader of a pack of dinosaurs or the creation of a male infant in a world of females.
As therapists, we can help clients recognize that what might seem like failures can actually create positive, far-reaching effects. Expanding our worldview can help clients understand how their actions affect their communities, families, and lives. For example, setting boundaries with a toxic family member might inspire children to advocate for themselves. Making a positive impression during an interview, even without landing the job, can lead to networking opportunities and highlight the unique value someone can offer. Using this book, therapists could encourage clients to empathize with One Path during moments of failure or doubt, offering a pep talk that emphasizes the positive changes she has created, even if they’re not immediately apparent.
Another helpful therapeutic intervention inspired by this book is to use values to influence behavioral change. While One Path never explicitly discusses her values, they are clear in every decision she makes as she breaks away from tradition. A valuable discussion could involve identifying One Path’s values based on her decisions and interactions with others, and then using this approach to identify the client’s own values. Once those values are identified, it can be easier to make difficult decisions, such as trying new methods or breaking away from tradition.
For example, one of the first acts we see from One Path is her care for young creatures, including dinosaurs and members of her tribe. This leads the reader to infer that her values include nurturing the next generation. This can explain her hard decision to change the way the tribe hunts, in order to better set up the children for success—even though it endangers both her and the tribe. By examining a client’s own values and exploring how their choices align with those values, therapists can help inspire confidence and persistence in making difficult decisions.
Change can be terrifying, but as One Path illustrates, it can also be necessary for growth. What traditions have shaped your life, and which ones might no longer serve you? Share your thoughts in the comments, or if you’re a clinician, consider how this story could spark meaningful conversations in your practice.
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