#366 Marc, Lara, and Josué discuss the webcomic UnOrdinary, and other examples of characters trying to process past traumatic experiences. They relate these examples to how people avoid, ruminate, and attempt to process their own difficult emotions and unexpected triggers.
Characters / Media Discussed:
UnOrdinary by Uru-chan (2016-ongoing, webtoon)
Down to Earth by Pukki Senpai (2020-ongoing, webtoon)
Let's Play by "Mongie" Leeanna M. Krecic (2016-2022, webtoon)
My Hero Academia
Advice Not Given: A Guide to Getting Over Yourself by Mark Epstein (2018)
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
La La Land (2016)
New Moon by Stephanie Meyer (2006)
doesthedogdie.com
Shrinking (2023-ongoing)
Zuko / Avatar the Last Airbender (2005-2008)
Themes, Topics, and Relatable Experiences Discussed:
* Change
* Consequences
* Difficult emotions
* Fear
* Feeling alone
* Finding Oneself/Identity Development
* Guilt
* Love
* Moral dilemma
* Power struggle
* Resilience
* Redemption
* Taking responsibility for one’s actions
* Working with others
* Abuse
* Acceptance
* Breakup
* Clarity/Understanding
* Coming of age/Getting older
* Depression
* New Life Event (New Rules)
* Trauma
Questions? Comments? Discuss this episode on the GT Forum.
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Links / Social Media
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Find us at GeekTherapy.org | @GeekTherapy | Lara: @GeekTherapist | Link: @CHICKENDINOSAUR | Josué: @JosueACardona
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Traditionally there would be an engagement question here, but I (Link) think it's a travesty that my team failed to mention the very aptly named video game Getting Over It With Bennett Foddy (2017) which is a perfect mechanical exploration of perseverance when faced with disappointing set-backs.
#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 note
Lara 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:
Themes/Topics Discussed:
Relatable Experiences:
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?
#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:
They 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 Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences
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.
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?
#398: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Link Keller and Marc Cuiriz for a candid, self-reflective conversation about biases, assumptions, and snap judgments—especially the ones we make based on fandoms, media preferences, and how people show up in geek spaces.
The discussion begins with a story from urgent care, where a doctor tries (and fails) to connect with Josué’s nephew based on a Captain America shirt, highlighting how quickly people project meaning onto media symbols without context. From there, the conversation widens into how often we all do this—sometimes unconsciously—and how those assumptions can shape interactions in harmful or limiting ways.
Marc reflects on anime fandom gatekeeping, describing how casually mentioning anime can invite interrogation, judgment, or dismissal—especially if your tastes don’t align with what others consider “good” or “real” anime. Link shares experiences where simply recognizing a reference (like a Bazinga shirt) led others to assume shared values, tastes, or identity, even when that wasn’t true.
The group digs into deeper layers of judgment, including:
They openly unpack their own biases toward fandoms and media such as The Office, The Big Bang Theory, How I Met Your Mother, League of Legends, Ready Player One, Fortnite, and Assassin’s Creed—not to shame anyone, but to model what it looks like to notice and question those reactions.
The conversation also touches on creator-versus-art dilemmas (including Harry Potter and Orson Scott Card’s work), fandom purity tests, online toxicity, and how popularity itself can trigger suspicion or resistance. Link reflects on how literal thinking and definitions can unintentionally intensify judgment, while Marc discusses re-examining assumptions after actually engaging with media he once dismissed, like A Court of Thorns and Roses.
Ultimately, the episode emphasizes curiosity over certainty. The hosts acknowledge that biases are often protective or learned, but that awareness—and a willingness to ask why someone likes what they like—can open the door to better connection, especially in therapeutic, educational, and community spaces.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences
Join the discussion on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org, or connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.
What fandom biases do you notice in yourself?
Have you ever felt misjudged because of something you like—or don’t like?
How do you balance curiosity with boundaries when talking about media and identity?
#397: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Lara Taylor and Link Keller to unpack the spooky-adjacent indie film Dave Made a Maze. What starts as a conversation about creative set design and cardboard gore quickly turns into a deeper discussion about feeling stuck in life, unfinished projects, relational dynamics, and why maze metaphors keep showing up in stories.
Link introduces the film as a thematically rich but approachable horror comedy, while Lara praises its creativity and inventive kill scenes. Josué, however, struggles with the movie—not because of what it does, but because of what it doesn’t do. For him, the film feels full of missed potential, especially given how relatable Dave’s core struggle is: feeling broken, unaccomplished, and lost in his own life.
The group digs into Dave as a character—his self-perception as someone who never finishes anything, his reliance on others, and how the maze literalizes his internal experience of being trapped. They debate whether the film meaningfully resolves Dave’s arc, or whether it simply gestures toward insight without fully earning it. This includes a close look at the surreal kitchen scene, where Dave and his partner replay moments from their relationship while the world around them slowly turns into cardboard.
Lara frames the maze as an instantly recognizable metaphor from therapy: many people feel trapped without knowing exactly why, even when there is a way forward. Link explores the idea of mazes versus labyrinths, monsters versus internal shadows, and why stories so often insist on placing a Minotaur at the center of confusion. The Minotaur in Dave Made a Maze sparks discussion about whether monsters represent specific struggles, generalized fear, capitalism, internalized shame—or simply the narrative rule that “if there’s a maze, there must be a monster.”
The conversation also branches into how perspective shapes experience, highlighted by the film’s “perspective room,” where characters literally see the same space differently. For Josué, this is one of the film’s strongest moments, emphasizing how people can share an environment but live entirely different realities.
Throughout the episode, the hosts wrestle with questions of obligation, support, and agency. Is helping someone through their maze an act of care—or a burden unfairly placed on others? Is Dave’s partner a collaborator, a caretaker, or simply underwritten? And when is it okay to walk away from someone else’s maze entirely?
Ultimately, the episode treats Dave Made a Maze as a catalyst rather than a conclusion: a film that may be paper-thin in places, but still sturdy enough to hold meaningful conversations about being stuck, cutting through walls, and recognizing when the maze itself might not be as solid as it seems.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences
Join the conversation on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org, or connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.
What does the maze represent in your own life right now?
Is your monster something external, internal, or both?
When is it worth entering someone else’s maze—and when is it okay to walk away?
#396: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Marc Cuiriz and Link Keller for a quiet, reflective conversation about self-worth—how it’s formed, how it’s lost, and how it can slowly be rebuilt.
Marc brings the topic after finishing A Court of Thorns and Roses, with a particular focus on A Court of Silver Flames, where a central character spirals into self-destructive behavior after trauma. Marc also connects these themes to A Man Called Otto (and the novel it’s based on, A Man Called Ove), where grief strips a man of his sense of purpose and worth.
Together, the group explores:
Josué introduces Carl Rogers’ framework of ideal self vs. self-image, helping ground the discussion in a practical way of understanding self-esteem as the perceived gap between who we think we should be and who we believe we are. This leads to reflections on how unrealistic ideals—or distorted self-images—can make that gap feel unbearable.
Link adds examples from across geek culture, including:
A major emotional turning point comes when Marc reflects on why these stories annoy him: they echo his own earlier struggles. The frustration isn’t just with the character—it’s with a past version of himself. The conversation gently examines what compassion for that past self can look like, even when annoyance is still present.
Key Themes & Takeaways
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.
Which characters have mirrored your own struggles with worth?
#395: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Lara Taylor and Link Keller to unpack a deceptively heavy topic sparked by Lara’s time with Star Wars Outlaws. What begins as a conversation about faction reputation systems quickly turns into a broader discussion about loyalty, betrayal, silence, and the real-world consequences of alignment.
Lara describes navigating the game’s reputation mechanics, where working with one cartel improves access, gear, and safety—while actively worsening your standing with others. As an outlaw, there’s no true “good” option, only shifting alliances and morally gray decisions. Lara finds herself reluctant to double-cross factions that have treated her well, even knowing the game is likely to betray her eventually. The discomfort isn’t about optimization—it’s about loyalty, values, and how it feels to act against them, even in a fictional space.
Josué connects this discomfort to his own struggles with morality systems in games, especially when choices feel irreversible or emotionally loaded. From The Last of Us to A Way Out, the group reflects on moments where players are forced into decisions they don’t agree with—or punished for indecision. Sometimes, choosing nothing still carries consequences.
Link zooms out to examine how morality and reputation systems reflect the values of game designers, referencing examples like BioShock, Detroit: Become Human, Baldur’s Gate 3, and Telltale’s The Walking Dead. The conversation highlights how games often simplify morality into systems that can’t fully capture real-life complexity—yet still succeed as powerful conversation starters.
From there, the discussion shifts into real-world parallels: political alignment, workplace consequences, social judgment, and the emotional labor of speaking up versus staying silent. Josué shares personal experiences with choosing “ellipsis” in real life—opting out of conversations to preserve safety, mental health, or employment—while acknowledging that silence itself can carry social costs.
The group also touches on how strong moral convictions are sometimes pathologized in mental health spaces, reframed as rigidity or “splitting,” and questions who benefits from labeling justice-oriented reactions as symptoms. Throughout, they emphasize that context, power, identity, and bandwidth matter—and that not everyone can afford the same risks when making their values visible.
Ultimately, this episode explores why games like Star Wars Outlaws feel so uncomfortable in the best possible way: they remind us that choices are rarely clean, loyalty is complicated, silence is still a decision, and consequences—fictional or real—don’t always feel fair.
Characters / Media Mentioned:
Themes / Topics Discussed:
Relatable Experiences:
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.
How do you handle games where every option feels wrong?
When has choosing silence felt safer—and when did it cost you something?
Do reputation systems in games help you think about real-world consequences, or oversimplify them?
#394: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Link Keller, Lara Taylor, and Marc Cuiriz for a deep (and surprisingly philosophical) anime debate that starts with a classic question—Goku vs. Sailor Moon, who wins?—and evolves into a thoughtful discussion about power, growth, belief, and what different stories teach us about overcoming challenges.
Josué shares his experience revisiting Sailor Moon Crystal and Dragon Ball Super, watching both series side by side for the first time as complete stories. What stands out to him is how differently these worlds handle conflict and transformation. In Dragon Ball, characters respond to threats by training harder, pushing past limits, and grinding toward improvement. In Sailor Moon, emotional connection, belief, love, and friendship are often what unlock new power—sometimes instantly, sometimes mystically.
The group unpacks how these differences map onto broader ideas of self-improvement. Dragon Ball reflects a mindset of effort, discipline, mentorship, and persistence—appealing, motivating, and often inspiring, but potentially dangerous when applied to systemic barriers that can’t be “trained” away. Sailor Moon, by contrast, emphasizes relational power, faith in oneself and others, and the idea that showing up emotionally matters—even if it can veer into passivity or magical thinking when taken too literally.
Lara brings in clinical perspectives from therapy, discussing impostor syndrome, external validation, and how belief from others can be a bridge when self-belief isn’t accessible yet. Marc reflects on how Dragon Ball shaped his ideas about self-improvement, physical training, and pushing past social anxiety. Link connects both models to real-world limitations, systemic oppression, and the risks of over-relying on either perseverance or hope alone.
Along the way, the group touches on gendered storytelling in shōnen and shōjo anime, nostalgia, power fantasies, and why pitting these stories against each other misses the point. Both models, they argue, can be useful—and harmful—depending on context. Growth sometimes requires effort and skill-building. Other times, it requires support, belief, and community. Most of the time, it requires both.
And yes, they do eventually circle back to who would actually win in a fight.
Characters / Media Mentioned:
Themes / Topics Discussed:
Relatable Experiences:
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.
Who do you think wins: Goku or Sailor Moon?
Which model of growth do you lean on more—training harder or trusting your support system?
When has belief helped you move forward, and when has effort mattered more?
#393: In this episode, the GT Radio crew takes a deep, spoiler-filled dive into I Saw the TV Glow, unpacking why this film lingers long after the credits roll. What starts as a discussion of vibes, nostalgia, and genre quickly becomes an exploration of identity, agency, fear, and decay. The hosts wrestle with whether the story is literal or metaphorical, how much choice Owen truly has, and why the film’s bleakness feels both devastating and honest. Through conversations about trans allegory, existential horror, static as a symbol, and the terror of recognizing truth without being able to act on it, the group reflects on how media captures experiences of suffocation, stagnation, and longing. The episode closes with a thoughtful debate about sequels, ambiguity, and whether some stories are more powerful when left unresolved.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and share your thoughts on I Saw the TV Glow, its ending, and what it stirred up for you emotionally.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
Did you believe Maddie, and why or why not?
Do you see Owen’s story as one of choice, powerlessness, or something in between?
What piece of media has captured the feeling of being stuck or “decaying” for you the way this film does?
#392: In this episode, Josué and Marc take a critical look at A Man Called Otto (2022), focusing on how the film portrays grief, suicidality, autonomy, and community. While the movie presents itself as a comedy-drama about a grumpy widower finding new meaning after loss, the conversation digs into whether its treatment of suicide is thoughtful or deeply trivializing. The hosts explore how repeated suicide attempts are played for interruption and humor, how the film avoids explicitly naming suicide, and whether Otto’s desires and autonomy are respected at all. Drawing from clinical experience, personal loss, and ethical questions around dignity and end-of-life choice, they debate whether the movie opens space for meaningful discussion or reinforces harmful narratives about suffering, help, and “finding reasons to live.”
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and share your thoughts on A Man Called Otto, its portrayal of suicide, and whether it resonated—or missed the mark—for you.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
Did the film feel heartwarming, preachy, or both to you?
How do you feel about suicide being portrayed indirectly or avoided entirely in media?
What responsibility do movies have when depicting grief and suicidal behavior?
#391: In this episode, the GT Radio team explores how media can help people understand, recognize, and talk about intimate partner violence. Starting with a client’s experience using Interview with the Vampire to explain a past abusive relationship to their partner, the conversation expands into how fiction, fantasy, memoir, television, film, music, and games can make patterns of abuse more visible and easier to discuss. The hosts examine why metaphor and exaggeration (like vampires and supernatural power dynamics) can sometimes feel safer and more accessible than realistic depictions, while also addressing the risks of romanticizing, trivializing, or mis-marketing abuse in media. Along the way, they discuss representation, accountability, marketing ethics, cultural narratives, and why naming abuse matters for survivors and for the people trying to support them.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and share the media that helped you recognize, understand, or talk about abuse—whether personally, professionally, or with someone you care about.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
What piece of media helped you understand an unhealthy or abusive relationship more clearly?
How do you feel about fantasy or metaphor being used to depict real-world abuse?
Where do you draw the line between starting conversations and trivializing harm in media?
#390: In this episode, the GT Radio team dives into how the language we use to talk about media can either build connection or shut it down. Using recent reactions to Deadpool & Wolverine, longtime fandom debates, and a painfully honest story about Ready Player One, the hosts explore how personal taste, rejection sensitivity, authenticity, and power dynamics intersect when we share opinions. The conversation looks at why “objective” criticism can feel dismissive, how negative reactions hit harder than positive ones, and why curiosity matters more than being right—especially in therapeutic, educational, and close personal relationships. Ultimately, the episode reframes media discussions as opportunities to understand people better, not score points or assert dominance.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to keep the conversation going? Share your experiences with being judged for your taste—or catching yourself yucking someone else’s yum—in the GT community.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
When was the last time someone reacted strongly to something you loved?
How do you usually respond when someone dislikes a piece of media that’s meaningful to you?
What language helps you feel understood rather than judged when talking about media you care about?
#389: In this episode, the GT Radio crew explores the Avatar: The Last Airbender novel series, focusing on the stories of Kyoshi, Yangchen, and Roku. Through a deep, spoiler-light discussion, the hosts unpack how each Avatar wrestles with identity, values, balance, and overwhelming responsibility. The conversation examines what it means to step into a role you didn’t choose, how personal values collide with political and spiritual demands, and why no version of justice is ever truly neutral. Drawing parallels to real-world experiences—like public pressure, burnout, and being judged by past selves—the episode highlights why the Avatar mythos continues to resonate as a powerful lens for understanding growth, power, and selfhood.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the discussion? Join the GT community and share your thoughts on the Avatar books, your favorite Avatar, and how you interpret justice, balance, and responsibility in these stories.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
Which Avatar’s struggles resonated most with you, and why?
How do you balance your personal values with the roles others expect you to fill?
Do you think true justice is possible for someone with absolute power, like the Avatar?
#388: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué, Link, and Lara take a deep dive into queer films of the 1990s (and the very edge of the 2000s), reflecting on what these movies meant at the time and how they land today. The conversation explores how queer representation shifted from subtext and stereotypes to more explicit, varied stories, shaped by cultural pressures, censorship, the AIDS crisis, and who was allowed to “hold the camera.” From cult classics and comedies to documentaries, anime, and mainstream Hollywood films, the hosts unpack questions of respect, fetishization, tolerance versus acceptance, and how queer characters have moved from being the punchline to simply being part of the story. Along the way, they reflect on personal viewing experiences, generational differences, family reactions, and how much (and how little) has changed.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and share your experiences with queer films—whether you watched them in the ’90s or discovered them years later.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
Which queer films from the ’90s were formative for you, and how do you see them differently now?
Do you think queer representation is better today, or just different?
What movies helped you understand yourself—or others—when you were younger?
#387: In this episode, Josué, Link, and Marc explore why they keep returning to sandbox and survival-style games like The Sims, Terraria, and Minecraft—especially during times of stress, burnout, or major life changes. What starts as a joking callout about control quickly becomes a thoughtful conversation about agency, structure, creativity, and comfort. The hosts reflect on how building persistent worlds, setting self-directed goals, and engaging with familiar systems can meet psychological needs that real life often fails to satisfy. Drawing on personal experiences with job loss, burnout, and instability, they unpack how these games offer a sense of control, consistency, and safety—without the same stakes, costs, or unpredictability of the real world.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences Discussed
Want to continue the conversation? Join the GT community and tell us about the games you return to when life feels overwhelming.
Connect with the Geek Therapy Network:
What games do you return to when you’re feeling overwhelmed or out of control?
Do you gravitate toward building, exploration, or structured objectives—and why?
What needs do games meet for you that real life sometimes doesn’t?
#386: In this episode of GT Radio, Marc dives into Die Hart, a Kevin Hart action-comedy film that tackles the idea of typecasting—both in Hollywood and real life. The team explores how Hart's struggle to redefine himself beyond the comedic roles people expect mirrors the roles we often get stuck in within relationships, careers, or cultural expectations. From school labels like “the smart kid” or “the therapy friend” to societal assumptions about race, gender, or profession, the episode reflects on the ways people are boxed in—and the cost of breaking out.
Lara, Marc, and Josué share personal stories of resisting expectations, struggling for self-definition, and pushing back against the limits others try to impose. Along the way, they reflect on actors like Jim Carrey, Robin Williams, Daniel Radcliffe, and Robert Pattinson, whose careers have involved reshaping public perception.
The episode also touches on how media like Doctor Who, Irredeemable, Incorruptible, and Quiz Lady explore similar themes, and how such stories can be powerful therapeutic tools. Whether you’ve ever been told to “just do the thing you’re good at” or felt trapped in a role that no longer fits, this conversation offers space to consider the value—and consequences—of change.
Characters / Media Mentioned in the Episode:
Themes / Topics Discussed:
Relatable Experiences Discussed:
Continue the Discussion:
Join us on the GT Forum, or connect with us through the Geek Therapy Discord and social media. Share your stories, reflections, or media that helped you navigate your own roles and expectations.
What roles have others expected you to play in life?
Have you ever tried to redefine yourself, and what challenges came with that?
Can you think of a movie, game, or show where a character broke out of expectations in a way that resonated with you?
#385: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué, Link, and Marc unpack the massive 2024 hip hop feud between Kendrick Lamar and Drake. Josué recounts the timeline of the diss tracks, from “Like That” to “Not Like Us,” and explains why the beef captivated pop culture. The hosts explore hip hop as storytelling, competition, and cultural commentary—contrasting Drake’s commercial pop success with Kendrick’s lyrical depth and cultural grounding. Along the way, they share personal experiences with hip hop, mixtape nostalgia, and how music connects identity, belonging, and authenticity. The conversation expands into how audiences engage with public rivalries, catharsis through art, and the tension between art and marketing in modern media.
Characters / Media Mentioned
Themes / Topics Discussed
Relatable Experiences
Join the Discussion
Share your thoughts on the Kendrick vs. Drake beef and what it says about authenticity in art. Who do you think “won,” and why does this cultural moment matter?
Join the conversation on the Geek Therapy Forum or connect with us on:
What role has music played in shaping your own identity or community?
#384: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué Cardona is joined by Marc Cuiriz, Link Keller, and Lara Taylor for a wide-ranging conversation about the Fallout franchise and why it resonates so strongly right now. What begins as a discussion of the new Fallout TV series quickly expands into a deeper exploration of nuclear anxiety, late-stage capitalism, climate fears, disaster capitalism, and how post-apocalyptic media gives people a safer way to process very real anger and dread about the world.
Lara shares how many of her clients have brought up Fallout in therapy sessions—not just as entertainment, but as a way to talk about fear, exhaustion, and rage related to the future, economic instability, and global conflict. The group reflects on how the franchise presents a world where corporations profit from destruction, how survival replaces progress, and how people inherit the fallout of decisions they didn’t make.
The hosts examine Fallout as both satire and coping mechanism, discussing how camp, humor, and nostalgia soften otherwise grim themes. They talk about how the games and the show sidestep the immediate horror of catastrophe and instead focus on survivors generations later, raising questions about memory, misinformation, and myth-making. The conversation also explores how media can provide catharsis without necessarily leading to real-world action—and how anti-capitalist stories funded by massive corporations create complicated emotional contradictions.
Along the way, the group dives into game design, player experience, and adaptation choices: Bethesda jank, rage-quitting moments, different Fallout entry points, the strengths of the TV adaptation, and how multiple characters reflect different player styles. They also branch into related games and media that use environmental storytelling, fragmented narratives, and discovery to explore collapse, trauma, and power.
Ultimately, this episode looks at Fallout not just as a franchise, but as a mirror—one that reflects collective anxieties about war, profit, climate, and survival, while still giving us something weird, funny, and meaningful to hold onto.
Characters / Media Mentioned:
Themes / Topics Discussed:
Relatable Experiences:
Join the conversation on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org and connect with the Geek Therapy Network through the links at https://geektherapy.org.
What feelings does Fallout bring up for you right now?
Do post-apocalyptic stories help you cope, or do they make things feel heavier?
#383: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué is joined by Link Keller, Marc Cuiriz, and Lara Taylor to explore what it means to recognize yourself in media—especially when that media is other people sharing lived experiences online. The conversation focuses on how social media platforms like TikTok have become unexpected mirrors, helping people identify traits associated with ADHD, autism, and broader neurodivergence long before (or even without) formal diagnosis.
Marc shares reflections from reading Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, describing how concepts like masking, people-pleasing, and social chameleon behavior reframed his understanding of his own history. Link talks about encountering late-diagnosed autism content online and slowly realizing that many lifelong experiences—social exhaustion, stimming, echolalia, hyperfixation, and pattern recognition—fit together in ways that trauma or anxiety alone never fully explained. Lara adds a clinical and personal lens, discussing sensory processing differences, social anxiety, and how traits can shift, intensify, or soften across the lifespan.
The group digs into the limitations of the DSM, the value (and risks) of self-diagnosis, and why language matters more than labels for many people. They discuss how diagnostic criteria lag behind lived experience, how systemic barriers make formal assessment inaccessible, and why peer-shared narratives can be both validating and destabilizing. Throughout the episode, they emphasize that these traits aren’t just “quirks”—they exist on an intensity and frequency that meaningfully impacts daily life.
The conversation also touches on specific neurodivergent experiences like masking fatigue, autistic burnout, sensory sensitivities, aphantasia, dyscalculia, face blindness, stimming, echolalia, and the exhaustion of navigating a world not built for neurodivergent minds. While acknowledging that there can be strengths associated with neurodivergence, the hosts push back on overly simplistic narratives like “ADHD is a superpower,” emphasizing that difficulty, disability, and systemic mismatch are central to the lived experience.
Ultimately, this episode is about finding yourself through shared stories, the relief of discovering that you’re not alone, and the complicated emotions that come with reinterpreting your past through a new lens. It’s also an invitation to approach these discoveries with compassion—for yourself and for others—while continuing to advocate for understanding, access, and support.
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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.
Have you ever learned a word that suddenly explained years of experience?
How do you balance self-understanding with the limits of diagnosis and labels?
#382: In this episode of GT Radio, Josué is joined by Lara Taylor and returning guest Kayla Devorak to talk about something deceptively important: office spaces and how we decorate them. What starts as a conversation about geeky decorations quickly becomes a deeper discussion about identity, comfort, professionalism, burnout, and how physical spaces communicate who we are—especially in helping professions.
Kayla shares her experience building out a brand-new office from scratch after a long stretch without a personal workspace. From Star Wars art and LEGO helmets to Vault Boy bobbleheads and Lord of the Rings wall prints, she walks through the intentional choices behind what she displays, how it feels to slowly reclaim a space, and how decorations have already sparked conversations with coworkers and students.
The group reflects on how offices act as extensions of the self, whether you’re working in person, remotely, or in hybrid settings. Josué and Lara share stories from past therapy offices, home offices, and telehealth setups, highlighting how geeky décor can reduce barriers, invite curiosity, and help clients and colleagues feel more at ease. At the same time, they discuss boundaries, overstimulation, and the reality that not every workplace welcomes visible self-expression.
The episode also explores practical strategies for decorating when options are limited—shared offices, strict workplace rules, or virtual backgrounds—including subtle choices like desk items, mouse pads, hats, mugs, calendars, and even what appears behind you on camera. The conversation touches on how backgrounds, bookshelves, and visual cues can unintentionally send messages, spark assumptions, or invite meaningful dialogue.
Ultimately, the episode emphasizes that decorating your office isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about sustainability, authenticity, and making spaces that support both the people you serve and yourself.
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Join the conversation on the GT Forum at https://forum.geektherapy.org, or connect with the Geek Therapy Network on Discord, Mastodon, and other platforms linked at https://geektherapy.org.
What does your workspace say about you?
Have decorations ever helped you connect with a client, coworker, or student?
What’s one geeky item you’d love to add to your office—or finally take out?