Using Pop Culture to Support the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents

Course Description:

Today’s youth are deeply connected to the worlds of gaming, comics, fandoms, and pop culture. Geek Therapy is a therapeutic framework that harnesses these interests to foster trust, build rapport, and support mental and emotional growth in children and adolescents.

In this presentation, participants will explore how therapists and youth professionals can use video games, superhero narratives, anime, AI, and other aspects of geek culture to promote emotional expression, resilience, and identity development.

The course will include real-world examples, practical tools, and ethical guidance for integrating these approaches into child and adolescent mental health work—particularly with neurodivergent youth, LGBTQIA+ youth, and those who may feel marginalized or disconnected in traditional therapeutic settings.

Course Objectives:

• Define Geek Therapy and explain its relevance and applicability in work with children and adolescents.
• Identify at least three forms of geek culture (e.g., games, fandoms, superheroes) that can be integrated into therapeutic or supportive interventions.
• Describe how media narratives and character identification can help youth process emotions, develop coping strategies, and explore identity.
• Recognize the benefits of using pop culture to engage neurodivergent, LGBTQIA+, and socially marginalized youth in a way that honors their interests and strengths.
• Apply at least two practical techniques for incorporating geek culture into sessions or group work with young people.
• Discuss ethical considerations including consent, boundaries, and cultural competence when using fandom and media-based content with minors.
• Discuss Geek Therapy and AI resources and how to ethically and appropriate utilize them in therapy sessions.

Featuring:

Paula Nemoga, LCSW-C, a Clinical Supervisor and Therapist with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field. She has worked extensively with children, adolescents, adults, families, and individuals from the LGBTQ+ and kink communities, bringing a compassionate, inclusive, and client-centered approach to her work.

Paula is certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and trained in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), which further supports her trauma-informed and safety-conscious practice. Passionate about integrating creativity and technology into therapy, Paula specializes in using Geek Therapy and AI tools to foster engagement, connection, and insight.

In this training, “Geek Therapy with a Side of AI,” Paula will guide participants through practical ways to incorporate pop culture, fandom, and emerging technologies into therapeutic work, equipping clinicians with tools to better connect with clients and enhance outcomes in a rapidly evolving digital world.

With gratitude, Brook Lane acknowledges this program is funded in part by the William B. and Sylvia A. Hunsberger Fund.