Geek Therapeutics

Being a geek can be seen as difficult for many; the social awkwardness, ineptitude, and judgment from others leads individuals to feelings of isolation in a world of their own. Geeks, by traditional definition, are passionate about anthologies and characters from a variety of fictional, fantasy, and virtual formats that are sometimes niche or unpopular creating feelings of relatedness towards avatar experiences in an often lonely life. Yet there are even more morphings of the term Geek from a historical perspective, dating back to 1997 - most being identified with a negative connotation. However, with the rise of popular media over the past several years, (e.g. Big Bang Theory, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, Marvel’s Avengers, Anime, etc.) self-identification as being a “geek” or “nerd” has become more mainstream. Yet, even with the rise of cultural normalization and shows discussing “geek” items, there is still significant mystery surrounding geek culture that perplexes individuals who are not intimately familiar with them. Geek Therapy encompasses many different paradigms of thought, intellectual curiosities, and specialized interests outside of “normal” social conformity. This can range from the more well-known areas of video games, comic cons, and TV shows to the less well-known topics of board games and verbose fantasy novels. This training is a comprehensive compendium of how Geek Therapy clinicians and scholars currently use a variety of games, media artifacts, and other geek culture items in therapeutic context and intervention.