48: Join Ariel and Stef with special guest Shaelene, somatic DBT therapist and creator of Clinically Ever After, a Disney-based conference for mental health professionals. What started as a “what if” became a “what is.” This sold-out event brought clinicians and educators together at Walt Disney World, where they found community and reconnected with themselves. From navigating Disney logistics to creating a space that actually feels good to be in, this episode explores burnout, authenticity, and play in professional spaces. Sometimes you wish upon a star. Other times, you remember you are one.Summary00:00 Introductions and return from hiatus01:35 What Clinically Ever After is and how it started04:48 Behind the scenes of hosting at Disney08:44 Logistics, costs, and figuring things out in real time12:07 Personal Disney experiences and planning with familiarity15:09 Designing a conference that feels fun and welcoming19:36 Presentations, playfulness, and audience engagement20:36 Attendee reactions and emotional impact21:31 Creating a relaxed and open professional space23:03 Pre-event community building and connection23:58 Shared fandom as an entry point for relationships26:13 Authenticity and showing up as yourself in professional settings28:21 Group dynamics and navigating feelings of exclusion31:37 Inclusivity across roles and disciplines33:25 Burnout and the need for support in helping professions34:52 Bonding through joy instead of stress37:36 Creativity and play as ways to restore energy42:26 What’s next: expanding the conference and new theme47:20 Disney snacks and park culture differences47:58 Closing thoughts and where to connectMedia/Characters MentionedDisney / Walt Disney WorldMickey MouseEPCOTThe Little MermaidBath & Body Works Disney Princess CollectionDisneyland vs. Disney WorldTopics/Themes MentionedBurnout in clinicians and educatorsCommunity and belonging in professional spacesAuthenticity in therapy and teachingPlay and creativity as part of clinical workNeurodivergence and inclusive environmentsDesigning engaging conferencesImposter syndrome and leadershipFandom as connection and identityProfessional vulnerabilityNavigating large systems like DisneySensory and environmental considerationsCross-disciplinary collaborationRest, joy, and sustainable workLinks & ResourcesGuest Links:Shaelene: @rebelmente/Clinically Ever After: https://clinicallyeverafter.comHost & Show Links:Instagram: @HappiestPodGTFacebook: @HappiestPodGTAriel on IG: @airyell3000Geek Therapy Links:Website: www.geektherapy.orgGT IG: @GeekTherapyGT Facebook: @GeekTherapyGT Facebook Group: @GeekTherapyCommunityGT YouTube: @GeekTherapyGT Discord: geektherapy.com/discordGT Forum: forum.geektherapy.comGeek Therapy is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that advocates for the effective and meaningful use of popular media in therapeutic, educational, and community practice.

#402: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Marc Cuiriz, Lara Taylor, and Link Keller for a timely conversation about how pop culture helps us process current events. Rather than focusing on news facts alone, the group explores how movies, TV shows, games, and memes give people shared language, emotional distance, and symbolic frameworks to make sense of complex, painful, or overwhelming realities.Josué opens by reflecting on how different generations consume and interpret the news, especially through memes and fictional references. From his niece’s understanding of current events via pop culture to viral comparisons between real-world figures and fictional villains or heroes, the group notes how storytelling fills gaps that traditional news coverage often can’t.A major thread centers on how stories create shortcuts for moral reasoning. Lara highlights how Wicked has become a powerful tool for discussing fascism, propaganda, and complicity. Characters like Elphaba, Glinda, and Fiyero offer an accessible way to talk about oppression, performative goodness, and quiet resistance—especially with younger audiences and clients.The group also discusses reactions to violence tied to systemic injustice, including how people use fiction to explain their emotional responses. Josué points to a widely shared scene from Spider-Man 2, where everyday people protect Spider-Man, as a metaphor for why some refuse to “snitch” on figures seen as acting against an unjust system. The conversation examines how archetypes—especially heroes—shape public empathy more than facts alone.Link adds that not all versions of a hero function the same way. The Sam Raimi-era Spider-Man is contrasted with modern MCU heroes, who often protect the status quo rather than challenge it. This leads into a broader discussion about how large media companies influence which stories get told—and which revolutionary narratives get softened or reframed.Robin Hood emerges as a recurring archetype: an oppressed figure stealing from the powerful to help the vulnerable. While less visible as a standalone character today, the group identifies Robin Hood’s DNA in characters like Killmonger from Black Panther, insurgent groups in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and even certain video game narratives. Marc draws parallels between these stories and real-world debates about violence, revolution, and whether change can happen within systems that consistently fail people.The episode also touches on how fiction recontextualizes long-beloved stories. Josué shares a moment challenging his niece’s view of Luke Skywalker as a flawless hero by asking her to consider the human cost of the Death Star’s destruction in Star Wars: A New Hope. These reframings, the group agrees, aren’t about ruining stories—but about revisiting them with more mature, critical lenses.Humor and satire play a significant role throughout the discussion. From fake corporate social media posts to meme culture and gallows humor, the hosts note that levity has become a primary coping mechanism in an era where trust in institutions, media, and authority is deeply eroded. Laughing doesn’t mean people don’t care—it often means they care a lot.The episode closes with reflections on rewatching favorite media, including Attack on Titan, through the lens of recent global events. Stories change as we change, and revisiting them can offer new insights into power, violence, resistance, and survival.Characters / Media Mentioned:WickedBreaking BadSpider-Man 2Black PantherStar Wars: A New HopeThe Falcon and the Winter SoldierAttack on TitanAssassin’s CreedLaw & OrderThemes / Topics Discussed:Pop Culture as a Coping ToolProcessing Current EventsHeroes, Villains, and Moral ArchetypesSystemic InjusticeFascism and PropagandaVigilante JusticeMedia Literacy and ReinterpretationHumor and Gallows HumorRevolution vs. ReformCorporate Control of StorytellingRelatable Experiences:Using Movies or Shows to Explain Real EventsRewatching Media That Feels Different After Major Life ChangesFeeling Anger at Systems Rather Than IndividualsCoping With Bad News Through Humor or MemesArguing About Whether a Character Is “Actually the Villain”Seeing Yourself or Others in Fictional CharactersFeeling Seen by a Story at the Right MomentLosing Trust in Institutions and AuthorityJoin the discussion on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org and connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.What fictional story has helped you process real-world events lately?Have you ever rewatched something and realized you see it completely differently now?Which hero or villain best captures how you’re feeling about the world right now?

#401: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Link Keller and Lara Taylor to discuss Station Eleven (Emily St. John Mandel’s novel and the Max limited series). What begins as a conversation about a “post-apocalyptic” story quickly becomes a deeper exploration of grief, memory, meaning-making, and the way stories keep us human—especially after loss.Link revisits Station Eleven years after first watching the show during the early pandemic. This time, reading the novel (and reflecting on the adaptation) highlights the story’s real center: not survivalism, zombies, or collapse—but how people hold on, let go, and rebuild identity when the world—or someone important—ends.Josué connects the themes to his mother’s death and the way grief looks different even among siblings who shared the same person. He notices how each family member keeps a relationship with the dead in distinct ways—through photos, daily reminders, or by not doing those things at all.Lara shares her own grief lens, describing herself as a “collector of things,” especially the irreplaceable objects tied to her mom. She reflects on how physical items can become anchors for memory—both comforting and heavy. She also names the tension that can arise when it feels like others “move on” differently, and how that can create a quiet sense of betrayal or loneliness in mourning.Content noteLara calls out that Station Eleven can be emotionally triggering, especially for anyone still carrying heavy pandemic anxiety. The early episodes echo pandemic chaos in ways that can feel uncomfortably real. Viewers may want to pace themselves, take breaks, or skip if they’re not in a good place for that material.Characters/Media mentioned: Station Eleven Novel: by Emily St. John MandelSeries: streaming on MaxWalking Dead (referenced)Shakespeare's works (referenced)King LearHamletThemes/Topics Discussed: Grief and loss, and the ripple effects of one person's deathSocietal collapse Art in survival Media as shared languageSurvival through community Stories within a storyRelatable Experiences: The death of a society/world (the pandemic collapse), and the collective grief that follows.Generational memory ("there is no before").Holding on vs. living in the present Processing grief (personal loss, collective loss, identity loss)Join the discussion on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org and connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org. What did you hold on to after loss—and what helped you let go? 

#400: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Link Keller, Lara Taylor, and Marc Cuiriz for a wide-ranging conversation about the psychology, appeal, and risks of “what if” thinking. What starts as Marc’s curiosity about alternate timelines in fiction turns into a thoughtful exploration of rumination, imagination, anxiety, hope, and why humans seem wired to replay—or rewrite—reality.The group distinguishes between different kinds of “what ifs”:Looking backward, often tied to regret, shame, or ruminationLooking forward, used for planning, preparation, and imaginationExploring fictional what ifs, which give us safe spaces to play with ideas that might feel overwhelming or impossible in real lifeLara emphasizes that backward-looking what ifs in our personal lives often aren’t productive unless they help us change future behavior. Without that forward application, they can trap people in self-blame and emotional paralysis. Forward-looking what ifs, however, can support decision-making—unless they turn into anxiety-driven catastrophizing.Link frames science fiction itself as a genre built almost entirely on “what if,” suggesting that humanity uses these stories to collectively process rapid technological, social, and cultural change. From dystopias to utopias, these imagined futures allow societies to rehearse fears, hopes, and ethical dilemmas before they arrive.Josué reflects on how “what if” thinking shows up in anxiety, preparation, and even moral reasoning—using imagined extremes (“what if everyone did this?”) as a way to guide ethical decisions. He also shares how running too many future simulations at once can become draining, both personally and culturally, drawing parallels to multiverse storytelling fatigue in modern media.Marc discusses how backward what ifs once dominated his inner world, especially in adolescence, but how learning to shift focus toward present and future possibilities has helped reduce their emotional grip. The group acknowledges that while humans can’t stop themselves from imagining alternatives, learning how and when to engage with those thoughts makes a significant difference.The conversation also touches on fan fiction, alternate universes, and reboots as communal “what if” playgrounds—spaces where people can explore identity, justice, representation, and belonging without rewriting real history. Afrofuturism, indigenous futurism, and speculative reimaginings are discussed as examples of hopeful, forward-facing “what ifs” that inspire action rather than regret.Ultimately, the group lands on a shared understanding: “What if” is a powerful tool—but like any tool, it can help build or cause harm depending on how it’s used. Stories give us a place to practice imagining different outcomes when real life offers no rewinds.Characters / Media Mentioned:Black MirrorStar TrekMarvel’s What If...?This Is UsHorizon Zero DawnBaldur’s Gate 3Family GuyDeadpool & WolverineThe MatrixBintiBlack PantherThemes / Topics Discussed:“What If” ThinkingRumination vs. ImaginationAnxiety and CatastrophizingDecision-Making and Moral ReasoningFan Fiction and Alternate UniversesScience Fiction as Social CommentaryHope, Fear, and FuturismPreparation vs. ParalysisMultiverse FatigueStorytelling as SimulationRelatable Experiences:Replaying Past DecisionsGetting Stuck in “If Only” ThinkingImagining Worst-Case ScenariosOver-Preparing for the FutureLoving a Story and Wanting MoreFeeling Disappointed by AdaptationsUsing Fiction to Process Fear or HopeStruggling to Let Go of Alternate OutcomesJoin the discussion on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org and connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.Do you tend to “what if” the past or the future more?When has imagining alternatives helped you—and when has it held you back?What fictional “what if” stories have stayed with you the longest?

#399: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Lara Taylor and Marc Cuiriz for a thoughtful conversation about limbo—those in-between states where life feels paused, uncertain, or unfinished. Sparked by Lara’s real-life experience of being displaced during a long kitchen renovation, the episode explores how limbo shows up in housing, careers, identity, grief, and major life transitions.Lara describes what it’s like to live temporarily in someone else’s home without knowing when she’ll return to her own. While she’s safe and cared for, the lack of certainty—not knowing when “home” will happen again—creates a constant low-grade unease. She connects this feeling to watching Kaos, particularly its depiction of souls stuck in the Greek underworld, waiting centuries for what comes next.Marc shares his own version of limbo as a newly graduated clinician—finished with school but not yet settled into a career that feels sustainable, fulfilling, or permanent. With one job providing stability and another representing passion, he finds himself “grinning and bearing it,” unsure when the next clear step will appear. He compares this to the existential stagnation explored in The Good Place, especially after the characters reach their long-awaited destination and realize fulfillment doesn’t automatically follow.Josué reflects on his lifelong comfort with impermanence, shaped by frequent moves and unstable early relationships. He contrasts this with more recent experiences of uncertainty—selling his home, losing a job, and intentionally stepping into a period without a clear next move. While unsettling, he notes how limbo can sometimes be freeing, offering space to reflect, recalibrate, and choose intentionally rather than reactively.The group explores how people respond differently to limbo:Some wait passively, hoping things resolve on their ownSome make meaning within the uncertaintySome fight to restore what was lostOthers move forward and redefine what comes nextThey reference stories where characters are pulled out of limbo by others—or resist being pulled—such as The Matrix Revolutions, Logan, Dragon Ball Super, and the MCU’s Blip storyline. These examples highlight that limbo isn’t just about waiting—it’s about how we relate to uncertainty, purpose, and identity while we wait.The episode also touches on Viktor Frankl’s ideas about meaning, the importance of having something to look forward to, and the danger of confusing comfort with growth. Decorating a temporary space can be grounding—but it doesn’t change whether the situation itself is healthy or sustainable.Ultimately, the conversation reframes limbo not as failure, but as a natural (and often necessary) part of transition. While uncomfortable, it can be a space for rest, clarity, and redefining what “next” even means.Characters / Media MentionedKaosThe Good PlaceThe Matrix RevolutionsLoganDragon Ball SuperA Man Called OttoMarvel Cinematic Universe (the Blip)Themes / Topics DiscussedLimbo and Transitional StatesUncertainty and AmbiguityCareer Identity and Early Professional BurnoutHome, Belonging, and DisplacementMeaning-MakingImpermanenceWaiting vs. ChoosingExistential AnxietyGrowth Through DiscomfortPerspective and ReframingRelatable ExperiencesNot Knowing What Comes NextFeeling Stuck Between Two Phases of LifeLiving Somewhere TemporarilyFinishing a Major Goal and Feeling Lost AfterWaiting on External Circumstances to ChangeQuestioning Whether “This Is It”Grieving a Version of Life That’s OverTrying to Make Peace With UncertaintyJoin the discussion on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org and connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.When have you found yourself in limbo?Do you tend to wait, fight, or move forward when things feel uncertain?What helps you tolerate the in-between—structure, meaning, or momentum?