4th Annual Therapeutic and Applied Geek and Gaming Summit for Helping Professionals
By Staff Reports
The Therapeutic and Applied Geek and Gaming Summit (TAGGS) is thrilled to announce its return for a fourth year, scheduled for April 19-21, 2024. TAGGS 4 invites helping professionals, educators, students, game designers, and content creators to celebrate the intersection of geek culture and therapeutic practices.
TAGGS is Geek Therapy’s unique platform for sharing expertise, fostering learning, and encouraging the professional, educational, and meaningful use of video games, tabletop role- playing games, anime, comics, sci-fi, fantasy, and more.
Building on the success of previous years, TAGGS 4 is poised to delve deeper into the therapeutic potential of geek and gaming cultures. The conference will spotlight innovative approaches to integrating popular media into therapeutic and educational settings, offering a diverse array of presentations that illuminate the multifaceted ways in which geek culture can be leveraged for positive outcomes.
This year, we have 36 presentations and attendees can look forward to sessions that explore the therapeutic benefits of character-building in gaming, the use of role-playing games in addressing adolescent grief, and the application of cozy gaming in clinical practice. The summit will also feature discussions on the role of popular media in forming identity, with presentations examining the influence of characters from Harry Potter, Spider-Man, and Batman on our understanding of ourselves and others.
In addition to these individual-focused topics, the conference will address broader social themes, such as the representation of marginalized communities in media and the impact of geek culture on social-emotional learning. Presentations like “Indigenous Representation in Video Games” and “The Power of Pop Culture in Social-Emotional Learning” promise to foster dialogue about inclusivity and the educational value of media.
TAGGS 4 is more than a conference; it’s a celebration of the intersection between geek passions and professional practice. Whether you’re a practitioner looking to incorporate geek culture into your work or a game designer eager to understand the therapeutic potential of your creations, TAGGS 4 offers a welcoming community and a wealth of knowledge to help you harness the power of geek and gaming in new and meaningful ways.
For more information and to register, visit the TAGGS website.