Comic-Con is this week in San Diego, the largest comic book and pop culture convention in the world. Tens of thousands of self-identified "geeks" will gather with like-minded fans to talk about and even dress like their favorite characters from movies, video games, comics and more. Why? Well, our guests today say it may be therapeutic. They are psychologists and geeks themselves who are headed to Comic-Con to present a panel on "Geek Therapy: How Superheroes Empower All of Us." While some geeks may be bullied or feel marginalized because of their passions, our guests are using 'geek culture' in a positive and affirming way to connect with their clients - whether through science-fiction, fantasy, video games, comics or technology. One of our guests has written a comic book featuring a superhero who has Asperger's. We'll talk about the prevalence of geek culture, the psychology behind superheroes, the therapeutic value of comics, the merit of playing video games and more, when pop culture and psychology collide. We geek out, when Charlotte Talks.
Guests
Josué Cardona - National Certified Counselor and a Licensed Professional Counselor Associate in private practice. A self-described "Geek Therapist," he hosts the Geek Therapy Podcast
Dr. Dave Verhaagen - Licensed Psychologist and the author or co-author of six books, including Parenting the Millennial Generation and Therapy with Young Men. Co-Founder of Southeast Psych.
Dr. Frank Gaskill - Licensed Psychologist who specializes in Asperger’s and how technology and kids can interface successfully. Co-Founder of Southeast Psych and author of Max Gamer, a graphic novel about Asperger’s.
- Our guests will be attending Comic-Con in San Diego this week (July 17 - 21) where they are presenting a panel discussion entitled Geek Therapy: How Superheroes Empower All of Us on Thursday.