geek therapy

I’ve Got D&D Fever (D&D series part 2)

March 23, 2020 · Discuss on the GT Forum

I know, I know. The title of this article looks like it’s timed with the COVID-19 crisis in mind. I promise I’ve had this post in my back pocket for a while. Now I just have more time at the moment to make it happen. And I really do have D&D fever, which I will definitely take over the current health crisis and the resulting cabin fever.

Since my last D&D article, I’ve played several sessions in 2 different campaigns. Each campaign has offered me very different experiences, and 2 different DMing styles. They’ve both been a wild ride, and a lot of fun. I’ll definitely process some of the campaigns here, but the actual gaming is a small part of my fever.

Escaping into actual play

Actual play podcasts are pretty much the best thing ever.

I started my expedition into these tales of adventure with the d20 Dames. This female-centric, is queer, POC, and family friendly. The dames have so much fun with each episode. It’s full of puns, excitement, suspense, and out of the box thinking. There isn’t a monster they’ve run into that they haven’t tried to befriend.

I binged all of the episodes until I caught up at the end of season 2. Once I caught up, it was tough to adjust to listening to something else everyday during my commute. At least now I savor listening to my favorite ranger, barbarian, druid, and DM, and look forward to them biweekly.

After finishing up Dames, the D&D fever intensified, so I decided to start listening to The Adventure Zone from the beginning. THAT was definitely an odd shift. I hated the show for the first few episodes. What I loved about the d20 Dames? These guys were the opposite. Lots of swearing, lewd jokes, and it seemed like they didn’t know what they were doing. But I stuck it out and I’m glad I did. The story had heart, and it was so worth it. I only listened to their first campaign (Balance). I guess I could only take so much dude humor.

Buying all the shinies!

I keep spending money on D&D (which isn’t really that hard to do.) Lucky for me, I already had a pretty decent dice collection, so I haven’t been obsessively buying dice…yet. There are so many awesome sets out there that I want, but don’t need. Everyone has that problem though, right?

Before even starting the campaign with my friends at home, I bought a custom miniature for my character from Hero Forge. I feel like it was worth the higher price. Their stuff is good quality, and I feel like my first D&D character in 10 years deserves some kind of trophy. Besides, she looks really badass.

I backed the skinny minis Kickstarter. Once I’ve built the confidence to start running games (either at home or in my therapy practice), these will be a game changer. They’re flat and can be stored in a binder, making them super portable. And the the art work is so pretty! I swear this isn’t an ad (the Kickstarter’s over anyway).

I have so many D&D books now. Amazon had a 50% off sale if you bought 3 books a while back. So now I have all 3 source books (Player’s Handbook, Dungeon Master’s Guide, and Monster Manual), Sword Coast Adventurer’s Guide, Volo’s Guide to Monsters, Xanathar’s Guide to Everything, and Eberron – Rising from the War. Oh, and I have Rolled and Told’s big pretty vol. 1 collection. The D&D fever definitely hit my pocketbook, and the little free time I have left.

Dungeon Master’s Guide Obsession.

While I’ve opened maybe half the books, and even skimmed through a few of them, one of them got a deep dive. I read the Dungeon Master’s guide. Cover. To. Cover.

I know, I know…some say it might not be possible, but I did it. My wife was worried about me for a bit there. Almost every night she’d lean over and act surprised that I was reading it or shocked at how far I’d gotten.

To be fair, I’ve probably already forgotten 80-90% of what I read…but I feel like I accomplished something. My brain just wanted to know how the game works better. I don’t know if I actually know the game better…but I loved reading about all the magic items and ways to manage situations that come up in game.

I’m a long way from being able to run a game myself, but I think this was a good step.

Finally to the campaigns

After (and during) all the build up and obsessing over storylines, character ideas, and imagined fantasy worlds, I managed to actually play the game!

The first campaign I’ve been a part of has been fun. My wife and I got a few of our friends together to play at our place. We played a few times over the summer/fall, but when the DM and his (now) wife (also our halfling ranger) got married, we had to put the game on hiatus understandably. Over the last 9 months, we’ve played maybe 4 or 5 times.

I will say that the one good thing about COVID-19 is that it’s freed up some time for us to get together and play…online. We’re going to be trying Roll20, and we’ll see how that goes.

I play a half-elf paladin of the ancients. She’s looking to protect the beauty in the world. Kinda think I need some of that in my life right now.

For GT Adventures, the Geek Therapy actual play podcast, I decided to try something I haven’t done before. I picked a class that I usually don’t play (a rogue) and completely randomized it on D&D Beyond. Less goody goody, more know it all, Darkfeet is a dwarf researcher turned to a life of crime.

I have a lot of fun podcasting with my GT buddies, Josué, Lauren, and our fearless leader Brandon. It’s very different playing for a podcast than just a group at home, but I’m learning. Sometimes we have awkward pauses, but it’s ok. We think outside the box and that’s what matters. Pierce, Bonk, and Darkfeet are like the odd throuple I didn’t know needed in my life. Not to toot my own horn, but we’re hilarious.

Each of the two campaigns is giving me very different experiences. My home campaign is a slightly larger group (6 players and a DM), and GT Adventures is smaller (3 players and a DM). Both of my DMs have different styles, but are very laidback, which I appreciate. With all the stress in the world (and my life) I like my games to be fun and go with the flow.

As far as my worries from before…I still feel my role playing skills are so-so, and I don’t speak up much. I have a hard time getting into my roles when they’re so different from who I am. So then I just end up playing me, if I were in a fantasy world. But I suppose there’s something to enjoy from that. I also still don’t do voices.

To wrap it all up, I’m getting into the swing of things with RPGs again. I want to do more, but sometimes it’s hard to find the time. If it’s hard for you to find the time, try to find groups online that might be able to flex schedules.

As of the writing of this post, we’re all in a state of uncertainty and social distancing. It can be scary and lonely, but if you can use things like Roll20 to connect with your group and get some gaming done, do it! A little escapism at a time like this is fine. And you’ll get to be a badass hero (or whatever kind of hero you want to be) while you’re doing it.

Stay home, wash your hands, and destroy your enemies.

Minecraft: A new way to Sand Tray

May 19, 2014 · Discuss on the GT Forum

Wow! It has been a really long time since I’ve written a post. Sorry about that, everyone. The end of the semester, deep cleaning the apartment for visitors, and wedding planning managed to get in the way. But now I’m back, with 2 years of grad school under my belt, a less hazardous writing environment, some wedding details pinned down, and I am ready to talk geeky awesomeness!

This week one of my co-workers told me about a technique he’s trying out which he likes to call “Minecraft Sand Tray”. For those of you who have no idea what Sand Tray therapy is, I’ll give you a very basic rundown.

(Image via Cypress Holistic)

It’s a tray, filled with sand, which clients can use a variety of toys to play in. Usually through their play, a therapist is able to get a peek at the client’s inner world. The play ends up representing whatever issues are going on for them. Sand Tray is usually used with children, but sometimes teens and adults are open to it too.

(Image via Psychology Today)

The main mechanism that allows this to work is the openness and freedom given to the client. Usually therapists who use a sand tray have a large selection of toys for the client to use, so that they can play out any scenario they wish with any kind of representation they would like. Action figures, animals, houses, trees, rocks, strong characters, weak characters, and the list goes on. If you can imagine it, it can happen.

For those of you who don’t know Minecraft, the game incorporates this same freedom to explore. You can craft whatever you want out of 8-bit, pixelated blocks…as long as you have the materials. Some players are very elaborate and build realistic buildings. Others want to build the most ridiculous things they can think of.

(Image via Minecrafter Camp)

My coworker uses Minecraft with his client (a boy who enjoys the game), to explore what is important to him and the themes that comes up when he plays. He told me about a session in which his client did not want to kill one of the animals for food, but instead he wanted to keep it as a pet. So he built a home for it. He returned to playing during another session and his pet had died. He was sad about it, and dug a grave for it with a tombstone and everything. The boy even said that it was too dark there and put a torch next to the grave to keep it lit.

My coworker told me he was surprised because he personally never would have thought not to kill the animal for food, because it’s a mechanic of the game. His client, however, was very adamant about protecting the animal and making it a continuing part of his play.

I think it’s a brilliant idea, and a modern (less expensive) way to conduct Sand Tray type therapy. I don’t play Minecraft, and know little about it, but if I had a client who was interested, I would love to try this out. It would also allow my client to teach me something and be the expert, which is also empowering and healing.

For now, it’s time to start prepping for the next semester. No more 2 week hiatuses…I promise!

Looking Ahead to WonderCon!

April 7, 2014 · Discuss on the GT Forum

WonderCon in Anaheim is only a couple weeks away! It’s running April 18-20, and I’m excited to be there. It’s the first time I’ll be attending this particular con since it moved from San Francisco.

There’s plenty to see and do, so I thought I’d throw out some of the panels that I’m looking forward to seeing (or that you should all go to and I can’t because of scheduling conflicts).

I’ll be wandering around all weekend, so I hope to see you there!

Friday

Comics Arts Conference – Beyond the Page

Friday April 18, 2014 1:30pm – 3:00pm
Room 210BCD

The influence of comics extends far beyond their paper. Victoria Minnich explores the value of comics as a research and education tool to visualize and personalize the operations of the southern California spiny lobster fishery, providing a case study of the possibilities for new media to generate collective meaning for a diverse and broad suite of audiences. Jeremy Johnson (University of Minnesota) explores the possibilities and limitations of graphic novels for the visually impaired and discusses the journey to create an “accessible” graphic narrative. In the process, he highlights the benefits of collaboration in the creation of narrative visualizations while raising an awareness of the accessibility of graphic novels. Renee Krusemark (Creighton University) builds on theories that reading graphic narratives involves both leadership and critical thinking, and uses The Walking Dead as a case study to explore how readers perceive leadership in comics and to discuss the potential of using comic books in the college classroom to address student critical thinking and leadership perceptions.

Saturday

(Image via BBC)

Psychology of Cult TV Shows

Saturday April 19, 2014 1:00pm – 2:00pm
Room 210A

Join a panel of therapists and scientists (mad or otherwise), Dr. Janina Scarlet (The Superhero Manual), Josué Cardona (Geek Therapy), Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight), and Elizabeth Ann (NerdLush), as well as some surprise guests in discussing the psychology behind TV shows such as Doctor Who, Sherlock, Firefly, Arrow, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and others. Find out how TV shows might help us cope with painful experiences and geek out in discussing such fundamental questions as: With all the regenerations, what is the Doctor’s true identity? What makes Sherlock a better detective than London’s finest? What does psychology tell us about the demons that live inside us? With these questions and more, this panel is a must for loyal fans of these shows.

Wild Queer Women of the Web

Saturday April 19, 2014 7:00pm – 8:00pm
Room 210A

Often neglected in mainstream comics publishing, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender women comics creators have found the freedom and opportunity to express themselves in the “anything goes” world of web comics. Online venues give artists a chance to experiment with different styles and personal stories with fewer commercial restraints. And women creators have used this new space to make their mark, bringing daring and revelatory LGBTQ stories to the public. Join Prism Comics and moderator Tara Madison Avery (Gooch, Dirtheads, Prism Comics board member) and panelists Emy Bittner (Trying Human), Dusty Jack and JadePrince (Mahou Shounen Fight, Skuttlebutt Ink), Nina Kester (Tapastic), Mari Naomi (Kiss and Tell, Anything That Loves), Shayna Why (Overshare Party), and others to be announced as they explore women’s comics on the web.

(Image via Jeremy Dahl)

The Psychology of Star Trek vs. Star Wars Episode III

Saturday April 19, 2014 7:30pm – 8:30pm
Room 213

Psychologists Dr. Andrea Letamendi (UnderTheMaskOnline.com) and Dr. Ali Mattu (BrainKnowsBetter.com) bring their popular, intergalactic sci-fi battle back to WonderCon Anaheim for round 3! These geeky psychologists step into the pop culture ring, this time with a focus on the character relationships from these two legendary franchises. Special panelists include actors Chase Masterson (Star Trek: Deep Space Nine) and Catherine Taber (Star Wars: The Clone Wars). Join a side and cast your vote as they crown one as the winner! Impartially moderated by Brian Ward (The Arkham Sessions).

Sunday

Comic Arts Conference – The Cognition of Comics

Sunday April 20, 2014 11:30am – 12:30pm
Room 210BCD

What happens in people’s minds and brains when they read and create comics? Neil Cohn (University of California, San Diego) will present an overview of his new book, The Visual Language of Comics: An Introduction to the Structure and Cognition of Comics, which provides an extensive introduction to the cognitive science of comics comprehension. This discussion will cover the systematic components that make up unique and different panels, the grammar of sequential images and page layouts, cross-cultural differences in structure, and the newest neuroscience research on what the brain is doing while comprehending comics.

(Image via wn.com)

Comics Arts Conference – Batgirl Begins Again

Sunday April 20, 2014 1:30pm – 2:30pm
Room 210BCD

Barbara Gordon ranks among the world’s most famous superheroines, first as Batgirl (1967-1988) until rendered paraplegic in The Killing Joke, and then as Oracle, supreme computer hacker and Birds of Prey leader (1989-2011) until DC Comics’s New 52 relaunch made her ambulatory and Batgirl once again. Renowned Birds of Prey/Batgirl writer and WonderCon Anaheim special guest Gail Simone discusses this character’s real-world popularity and fictional trauma recovery with psychologists Dr. Andrea Letamendi (Under the Mask Online), the model for Barbara Gordon’s therapist, and Dr. Travis Langley (Batman and Psychology: A Dark and Stormy Knight).

Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Strong Heroes for Foster Youth

March 31, 2014 · Discuss on the GT Forum

All my client has been able to talk about for months is Captain America: the Winter Soldier. After having the chance to go to an advance screening of the movie last week, I can understand his excitement and all of the hype. His heart has been set on going to see it with me next month for his birthday, and I can say with confidence that he is going to get a lot out of it.

First off, I want to say that I am going to do my damnedest to make this post spoiler free. There were so many surprises (some very big ones, I might add), and I wouldn’t want to take that experience away from anyone. Half of the time I already knew what was going to happen, since my client decided to spoil some of the story for me. But hearing the gasps of shock in the theater was still great, and I had a knowing grin on my face the whole time.

Overall, I thought it was a fantastic movie. There was plenty of action, some humor, twists and turns, and just enough drama. The cast was super diverse for a movie about a blond haired, blue eyed, white guy. Lots of people of color and women kicking butt. Along those lines, I was impressed by the fact that it was an ensemble cast filled with big names, and it still managed to be a “Captain America” movie. (Side note: This gives me some hope for the Superman/Batman movie if DC decides to follow suit).

(via Design Bolts)

For me, one of the major themes of the film was feeling lost or out of place. In Winter Soldier, Cap is a man who has had some time to breathe after waking up 70 years later and jumping head first into the events of the Avengers movie. Now we find him trying to catch up on historical events, technological advances, and societal changes. He doesn’t know how to feel, what to think, or how to act. I think this is something that anyone feeling like they’ve been put into a completely new situation can relate to. I know that many of the foster youth that I have worked with talk about not being able to fit in and not knowing what to do with themselves.

Another issue that is discussed briefly but that tends to come up frequently is the issue of PTSD and loss. Cap comes across a veteran, now home from the Middle East, who lost his closest friend in a battle. This stirs up feelings about his own lost brothers in arms, particularly Bucky, who he grew up with. Survivors guilt, flashbacks, and support groups are all important topics presented in the movie. It’s a step in the right direction as far as portrayal of mental health issues goes.

(Image via Stitch Kingdom)

Personally, I can’t wait to take my client to go see Winter Soldier. There are not a lot of movies that I would go out of my way to see a second time around, but this one is definitely worth it. The excitement in his eyes alone will make it worth it. There are plenty of good messages for him to absorb while watching something that will have him on the edge of his seat. The movie covers issues of post traumatic growth in showing positive ways to move forward from trauma, trust issues and teamwork, not to mention personal morality and responsibility.

I also foresee a lot of conversation surrounding Captain America’s experience of being a soldier and the losses he has suffered on the ride home from the theater. This is one of the last sessions he and I will have together, and I’m hoping that he’ll be able to connect some of the themes of loss, coping, and strength from the movie. If not, at least he will have one more good experience with me to remember before we end our time together.

Captain America

(Image via Chevrolet)

Wow, I’m impressed that I managed to write that much without spoiling anything. I should stop now while I’m ahead. I will leave you with a reminder that you should stay all the way until the end of the credits (a.k.a. not just midway through the credits). Also, you should see it soon. Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D will be tying in the events of the movie in the next few weeks, and (I’m assuming) there will be some spoiler-y type changes.

Now I feel the urge to go re-watch the first movie…and Avengers. Something else to add to my to do list! (As if I didn’t already have enough to do…)

School Days

March 24, 2014 · Discuss on the GT Forum

Things have really hit the fan at school, and I am working non-stop to get papers and reading done on time. So for today, you’ll have to settle for links to some of my favorite Geek Therapy podcast episodes. (But it’s not really settling at all, cause the podcast is awesome!)

(Image via Geek Therapy)

1. Female Superheroes – This episode is awesome because I’m in it! In all seriousness though, you should listen. Josué Cardona, Laura Vecchiolla and I discuss the Wonder Women documentary and female heroes in general.

2. Nerd Rage – Josué and Ali Mattu, Ph.D. run a marathon discussing why nerds rage out and what they rage about. It’s a long episode, but they go over a lot of good information and cover a lot of topics that cause geeks to freak out.

3. Learning About Mental Health Through Fictional Narratives – Josué and Dr. Andrea Letamendi talk about relating to characters and how healing a process that can be. They also discuss Andrea’s podcast, The Arkham Sessions, which takes a psychological lens to Batman the Animated Series.

Super-Ego: When Heroes Need Help

March 3, 2014 · Discuss on the GT Forum

A few months ago I backed a Kickstarter for a comic about a therapist who provides services for superheroes. When I saw the description for Super-Ego by Caio Oliveira, I knew I had to have it and pulled out my wallet to help. This week I received a digital copy of the book and decided that I couldn’t wait until the hardcover arrived to review it.

(Image via Comic Rocket)

First off, I want to assure everyone that I’m going to do my best to provide this review spoiler free.

The story follows Dr. Eugene Goodman, a.k.a Dr. Ego. Apparently he’s the go to guy when it comes to superheroes with emotional issues. He wears a mask and uses the alter ego name because “masks only talk to masks”.

Not getting along with your sidekick? Talk to Dr. Ego.

Deep seeded rage issues due to trauma in your origin story? Talk to Dr. Ego.

Pressures of fighting villain after villain getting to you? Talk to Dr. Ego.

As I was reading this book, I really started to tie it to Mark Waid’s Irredeemable. The main character of Irredeemable is a once hero/now villain with a lot of emotional baggage and pain to sift through. The stress of his difficult childhood, added with the pressure of being everyone’s savior and not being able to tell anyone who you really are makes for a lot of issues to work through. Ultimately, he can’t handle it and becomes the world’s worst nightmare.

irredeemable-1

(Image via Dad’s Big Plan)

In Super-Ego, our mild mannered therapist, Dr. Ego is trying to stop that exact kind of thing from happening. I tried to picture being in his shoes and having the weight of being responsible for the mental stability of these guys (who could either save or destroy the world with a flick of their wrist) in my hands. Talk about pressure.

Think about it. In just about all of my courses we have talked about responsibility. That what our clients do or don’t do is not on us. We provide the best care we can, and what they do with it once they leave the office is on them. But what happens if your client leaves the room and destroys the city? Or the planet? Or the universe?

(Image via Forces of Geek)

Regardless of what perspective you take on responsibility, those kinds of actions would be hard to live with.

Super-Ego brought up some interesting insights, but there were also some parts of the story which I took issue with.

To keep it spoiler free, I’ll just say that there is a twist that completely changes the nature of the story. The implications of the twist and the direction the characters go after said twist are concerning to me. I’m not sure exactly how I feel about them, but I’m definitely glad that I purchased the book.

I wish that the creator had focused more on the things that made the story interesting before the plot twist and spent more time with what it would be like to be in a therapy room with superheroes. They are some of the most trauma exposed, anxiety filled, isolated, and socially awkward individuals anyone could work with. I’d love to see a book that looks more at that piece.

(Image via Contraversao)

Overall, I felt that this book was pretty good. It was thought provoking, and make me take a look at myself as a future therapist. It had action and humor, and the art was wonderful. (I tend to base many of my comic purchases based on whether or not I like the art style). And while I may or may not use this book with my clients, I will definitely be keeping on the shelf in my office.