From “Superman” to “Demon Slayer,” everyone is talking about fandoms. Pop culture, storytelling and beloved characters are a large part of our culture. ETSU’s Counseling Center is tapping into this energy with Geek and Grow, a workshop exploring the intersection of geek culture and mental health. The workshop will take place Tuesdays from 3-4 p.m. beginning Sept. 16.
Staff Counselor Rachel Ratley is leading the program and has high hopes for the workshop, saying that geek therapy can “help in endless ways.” She emphasizes the “conversational” nature of the workshops, allowing participants to connect not only with their own feelings but also with the feelings of others.
The workshops will have specific topics each meeting and will contain educational resources, as well as opportunities to explore participants’ ideas and interests.
The intersection between mental health and pop culture is one that Ratley is passionate about. Last year, she led the D&D therapy group. After its success, she realized the potential geek therapy had for students.
“It can make talking about heavy topics accessible,” Ratley said.
Geek therapy allows for exploration of self and provides a “tool for coping” that helps individuals feel comfortable discussing mental health. By engaging students with topics, characters, and stories that resonate with them, the program creates a safe space that “helps people feel seen.”
Talking about mental health can be overwhelming. Geek and Grow is about easing this feeling through positive avenues that students already relate to. Participants might relate to a specific character, show or theme and not be sure why — they just know they love it. Geek and Grow allows students to explore this connection and why they feel it, learning about themselves in the process of discussing what they love. Ratley says that ideally, these workshops will be a “good starting point” for people seeking to learn more about mental health.
Because D&D therapy was so successful, Ratley hopes this program will be the same and lead to future initiatives. She hopes to bring more geek therapy events to the Counseling Center, emphasizing the connections it forms.
“We tend to separate a lot when all of these things intersect and are who we are,” Ratley said.
By merging narratives of storytelling and fandoms with mental health experiences, the Geek and Grow workshop is providing participants with the opportunity to understand themselves and the things they love better.
For more information, visit the Counseling Center website at etsu.edu/students/counseling, or contact Ratley at ratleyr@etsu.edu.
