Recorded Webinar
This webinar is approved for 2.0 CEUs by the MN MFT Regulatory Board and the Board of Behavioral Health and Therapy.
$40 for MAMFT members, $60 for non-members
You need to register using the email associated with your active MAMFT membership to receive the member rate.
Refund Policy: No refunds are given for webinar recordings.
Workshop Title: Therapeutic Fanfiction: Co-creating healing rebellion with your clients
Workshop Description: Children are experts at questioning the social constructs that surround them, which leads to a time of growth and rebellion in the teenage years. Sadly, somewhere in young adulthood, the rebellion is often lost to the power of the Galactic Empire (the status quo), which can halt both creativity, and the sense of a greater meaning in life. In this presentation, Justine Mastin and Larisa A. Garski will give attendees an overview of how to use Therapeutic Fanfiction with clients and welcome them back into their rebellious nature. Therapeutic Fanfiction pulls heavily from narrative therapy and adds in the power of modern mythology (pop culture), and adult play (fanfiction). Fanfiction refers to the practice of fans rewriting existing storylines to be a better fit for themselves. The queer community, and other marginalized folks, have been especially adept at this over time; reading into the subtext of long looks between characters and writing/drafting a fanfiction wherein those characters are in love, even though the canon (the words that the show-writers wrote) disagree. Therapeutic Fanfiction combines the ancient power of storytelling with modern myths to help empower clients to rewrite their lives Stories help all humans to make sense of their lives. The techniques of Therapeutic Fanfiction harness the ancient power of story and allow therapists and clients to move in and out of stories and to invite story characters out into the real world. Therapeutic Fanfiction invites both clinicians and clients to look at their stories and ask “what if.” This presentation will prompt attendees to question their own feelings and comfort around play and story. Attendees will walk out of this presentation with an understanding of the importance of play and story as well as concrete interventions to use with their clients. And they might just have some new skills for themselves as well!
Workshop Objectives:
1.Attendees will have a clear understanding of their own feelings and biases around using play and pop culture with clients
2.Attendees will have a clear understanding of ways to incorporate their client’s fandoms into session.
3.Attendees will walk away with concrete Therapeutic Fanfiction tools.
Presenter’s Name: Justine Mastin, LMFT LADC
Presenter’s Bio: Justine Mastin, MA, LMFT, LADC, E-RYT 200, YACEP is a therapist, yogi, writer, podcaster, and full-time rabble-rouser. As the owner/founder of Blue Box Counseling Justine specializes in working with clients who self-identify as being outside the mainstream—such as those in the geek, secular, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Justine is a board member of the Minnesota Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and is recognized as both an AAMFT and MN board-approved supervisor. Justine loves to work with other therapists on how to find their authentic voice and to question the status quo of therapy culture. Justine is a charismatic speaker, committed to bringing humor and stories into the lives of everyone she serves. Justine literally co-wrote the book on Therapeutic Fanfiction, has contributed to numerous other books on pop culture and psychology, and regularly blogs about the healing power of fandom for Psychology Today and psychotherapy.net. Outside of the office, Justine is the captain/co-host of the Starship Therapise podcast, and appears at pop culture conventions around the country teaching yoga and speaking on geek wellness topics. Justine takes a holistic approach to healing: mind, body, and fandom. You can find her on facebook, instagram, and twitter @mindbodyfandom.
Co-Presenter Info: Larisa A. Garski, LMFT
Larisa A. Garski, LMFT is a psychotherapist, writer, podcaster, and full-time logical companion. She specializes in working with folx who identify as outside the mainstream––such as those in the geek and LGBTQIA+ communities. She currently practices and serves as the clinical director of Empowered Therapy, Inc, a private practice in Chicago, IL. Larisa co-wrote the book on Therapeutic Fanfiction and has contributed numerous book chapters on the topics of pop culture psychology, video game psychology, and the importance of adult play. She regularly blogs with Justine for Psychology Today and psychotherapy.net. In her copious free time, Larisa co-hosts the Starship Therapise podcast, researches on psychological topics, and enjoys reading the works of any and all dead Russian writers. She can be found on twitter @spocksallears and on instagram @starship_therapise.
