Harnessing the power of fandom--from Game of Thrones to The Legend of Zelda--to conquer anxiety, heal from depression, and reclaim balance in mental and emotional health.
Modern mythologies are everywhere--from the Avengers of the Marvel Cinematic Universe to The Wicked + The Divine. Where once geek culture was niche and hidden, fandom characters and stories have blasted their way into our cineplexes, bookstores, and consoles. They help us make sense of our daily lives--and they can also help us heal. Psychotherapists and hosts of the popular Starship Therapise podcast Larisa A. Garski and Justine Mastin offer a self-help guide to the mental health galaxy for those who have been left out of more traditional therapy spaces: geeks, nerds, gamers, cosplayers, introverts, and everyone in between.
Starship Therapise explores how narratives and play inform our lives, inviting readers to embrace radical self-care with Westworld's Maeve and Dolores, explore anxiety with Miyazaki, and leverage narrative therapy with Arya Stark. Spanning fandoms from Star Wars to The Expanse and The Legend of Zelda to Outer Wilds, readers will explore mental health and emotional wellness without conforming to mainstream social constructs.
Insights from comics like Uncanny X-Men, Black Panther, Akira, Bitch Planet, and The Wicked + The Divine offer avenues to growth and self-discovery alongside explorations of the triumphs and trials of heroes, heroines, and beloved characters from Supernatural, Wuthering Heights, The Lord of the Rings, The Broken Earth trilogy, Mass Effect, Fortnite, Minecraft, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and Star Trek. Each chapter closes with a mindfulness meditation or yoga exercise to inspire reflection, growth, and the mind-body-fandom connection.
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“Larisa Garski and Justine Mastin have created a radical wellness resource that needed to be in the world! Starship Therapise centers geeks, gamers, introverts, and other marginalized folks who have traditionally been left out of wellness spaces. . . . [It] is full of creatively adapted teachings and tools from yoga, mindfulness, and therapy that will empower readers to find their personal agency and make change in their lives through the power of stories. If you’ve ever been intimidated to step into a yoga studio or therapist’s office, or if you think that wellness is only for skinny rich white ladies, this book was created for you. I can’t wait to recommend it to my yoga students. This book is ready when you are—to use stories to unlock the possibilities for self-discovery, acceptance, and growth in your life (on your terms).
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Amber Karnes, yoga teacher, trainer, creator of Body Positive Yoga, and cofounder of Accessible Yoga Training School