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MYTHIC GEEKDOM

Geeky Arts, Entertainment, & Empowerment

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Empowerment

Using Geekiness to help in Every Aspect of your life

Fantasy-Themed Guided Meditations

by Mythic Geekdom

Soothing Music from Movies, TV, Anime, & Games (for Study, Relaxation, etc)

(Playlist curated by Mythic Geekdom)

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Heroic Self-Care

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Image of a high-fantasy party of adventurers like what one would see in Dungeons and Dragons, silhouetted and facing away from the viewer, toward a sunrise behind a mountain view. Text says "Heroic Self Care" by Mythic Geekdom

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Disclaimer:
I am not a mental health professional. These are strategies I have developed over years of reading a variety of books on the topics by experts in the field, as well as working with my personal therapist. They are highly personalized, and may not apply to each individual. However, I offer them up as an example of one way to approach mental health struggles through a fantasy/gaming lens. It makes me feel more like a high fantasy hero in a D&D game, facing terrifying monsters using magic powers and mighty weapons while supported by a heroic party of champions; and less like a pitiful, pathetic human struggling alone with adulting and the pressures of every day life. If this system resonates at all with you, please feel free to use it and adapt it as you wish. I encourage you to consult mental health professionals and/or do your own reading and research from reputable sources in developing or adapting your own system.

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Frequently Used Terms:

Spell Slots:
A geeky reflavoring of Christine Miserandino‘s Spoon Theory, where Neurodivergent and those with chronic illness only have a certain amount of “spoons” (or energy) every day to handle tasks that most would find typical. This is comparable to Spell Slots in the 5th edition of the game Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), where spellcasters only have certain amount of slots to cast spells every day, before they are drained of magical energy and need a Long Rest before regaining them.

Cantrips:
In D&D. there are also Cantrips, which are spells that take no spell slots to cast. They are often simple spells, having no large effect, but they can be quite useful in the right situations. In Heroic Self Care, Cantrips refer to tasks you can do that take hardly any energy to do that can help out you in a more manageable space. For example: just brushing your teeth instead of focusing on the more involved task of a whole shower, putting on a favorite playlist to help you get through a rough time, or using a stim toy to help you ground.

Party of Campions/Secure Base
Archetypal personas within oneself used to help you survive and thrive through difficult encounters in life. More in-depth descriptions in future slides.

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Frequently Used Terms:

Tribe/Support System:
The people in your life outside of yourself that you love and/or trust. These could be family members, close friends, therapists, counselors, religious leaders. People who are willing to do emotional labor for you (be sure to ask for consent if it’s an appropriate time to do so). Depending on the relationship, they may also ask you to do emotional labor for them.

Stimuli Threshold
How much stimuli is needed to feel satisfied; or how much stimuli once can take before becoming overwhelmed. Some need more stimuli to begin to feel comfortable, but that same amount of stimulation could easily overwhelm others.

Paint Palate:
An illustration I use to describe how people express their emotions. Everyone expresses in a different way. Some express boldly (like a painting made with paint from a palate of bold colors) others express more quietly (like a painting made with paint from a palate of pastel colors). That doesn’t necessarily mean that they feel emotions more or less intensely within themselves.

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Party of Champions:
Sides of myself or “internal personas” that I identify to share in my emotions and help me fight my battles. These “best versions of self” create a secure base of internal support from where I can establish healthy boundaries, compartmentalize, and love myself, thus having a foundation of emotional energy to then turn that love outward to others.

These archetypes are characterizations of the different “hats I wear” in life. Their use helps me access true parts of myself that may be more appropriate for different situations, rather than “faking it,” or pretending to be someone that I’m not. Like how the Crystal Gems come together to form Obsidian in Steven Universe, these different personas come together to form me - compete and whole. The representation of them in their individual forms are to help me identify aspects of my personality, and are healthily integrated within my personality, rather than dissociative.

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The Audacious (Bard)
gregarious, bold, daring, unafraid, inspirational, social, confident, expressive, performer, captivating, figurehead, taking up space, leader, public speaker, extra, arresting, a bit intimidating

Bright or Dark? Bright
Assertive or Receptive? Assertive
Extroverted or Introverted? Extroverted
High Intensity or Low Intensity? High
Theoretical or Practical? Practical
Big-Picture Focused or Detail/Individual Focused? Both
Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? All three

The Idealist (Paladin)
passionate, idealistic, social justice warrior, focused on the big-picture, emotional, visionary

•Bright or Dark? both
•Assertive or Receptive? assertive
•Extroverted or Introverted? extroverted
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? high
•Theoretical or Practical? theoretical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? big picture
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? emotional

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The Content (Druid/Monk)
chill, relaxed, introverted, casual, re-charging, low-intensity, laid back, going with the flow

•Bright or Dark? both
•Assertive or Receptive? receptive
•Extroverted or Introverted? introverted
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? low
•Theoretical or Practical? practical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? individual
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? cerebral

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The Productive (Fighter)
goal-oriented, task-managing, motivated, planning, mentally active, physically active, high-energy, hyper-focus, high stamina

•Bright or Dark? bright
•Assertive or Receptive? assertive
•Extroverted or Introverted? introverted
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? high
•Theoretical or Practical? practical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? detail
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? cerebral and physical

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The Enraptured (Sorcerer/Wizard)
intense, inspired, spellbound, dreamer, artistic, passionate, emotional, enamored, captivated, infatuated, adventurous, explorative, discovery, curious, fascinated, hyper-fixate, geeky, squee. Desiring emotional connection, shared experience, love, a “dancing partner”

•Bright or Dark? both
•Assertive or Receptive? both
•Extroverted or Introverted? both
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? high
•Theoretical or Practical? theoretical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? all three
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? all three

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The Compassionate (Cleric)
mindful of self & others, considerate, aware, sensitive, supportive, patience, flexible, positive, comforting, friendly, balancing self-care with care of others, healthy boundaries

•Bright or Dark? both
•Assertive or Receptive? both
•Extroverted or Introverted? both
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? low
•Theoretical or Practical? practical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? Individual
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? emotional and cerebral

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The Goth (Warlock)
dark, intense, artistic. Can be both passive & withdrawing and confident & assertive. Magical, powerful, arresting, masculine, positive shadow

•Bright or Dark? dark
•Assertive or Receptive? both
•Extroverted or Introverted? both
•Higher Intensity or Low Intensity? high
•Theoretical or Practical? theoretical
•Big-Picture Focused, Detail Focused, or Individual Focused? big picture and detail
•Emotional, Cerebral, or Physical? emotional and physical

Chart comparing the traits of the Party of Champions to one another. Information found on this infographic can be found in the previous slides of each of the Party of Champions.

The Legion of The Challenger
“Encounters” I face on my journey as a hero. Yes, they can be challenging. Yes, they can injure me. But just like D&D encounters, not all need be defeated through combat. Think creatively and use all the skills on your character sheet to defeat the threat. Not all are monsters. And remember, successfully surviving encounters leads to leveling up.

The Validation seeker

Needs validation & approval from peers/those I admire in order to feel safe. Without approval, I feel unwanted/unworthy, and the Imposter sneaks in. To counter this pain, I can turn to resentment.
Healthily Combatted by: remembering they too are human, and may be preoccupied with other things, or insecure themselves. Have compassion for yourself and for them. Know your value. Listen. Is there somewhere you need to grow? Are these people worthy teachers?

The Impostor parasite

A parasite attached to the shoulder, whispering convincing lies into the ear: “You’re not worthy, not special, everyone’s just being polite, you’re an inconvenience.” Will evolve into two sub-forms and grow to devour the entire head if not countered.
Healthily Combatted by: drowning out its whispers with louder affirmations of self worth. Look to your past accomplishments, friends & loved ones, your own worth as a human.

The Maddening (a high-level Imposter that suggests that you’re alone because you’re too special)

The lies of the Maddening flanks the Diminisher at the opposite side of the spectrum (yep, that means that they attack with advantage, damnit. Keep your defenses up!!)
Once you affirm that you are loved, supported, and appreciated, the Imposter evolves and mutates, whispering that you may be loved for your gifts, but that no one else experiences them at your level; leaving you alone. Often experienced by the Neurodivergent, when noticing that they experience the world in a far different way than the Neurotypical population around them.
Healthily Combatted by: sharing with the Party of Champions & a wider audience. Appreciate others where they’re at. Celebrating the unique individuality that everyone brings to the world, including yourself. Appreciating that if everyone were the same, the world would be boring. You bring your own spice to the world. It is appreciated by others. But if everyone had the same spice as you, the flavor would be too overpowering. Delight in the variety of the whole buffet.

The Comparing diminisher (a high-level Impostor that suggests that you’re alone because you’re not special enough)

The lies of the Diminisher flanks the Maddening at the opposite side of the spectrum (yep, that means that they attack with advantage, damnit. Keep your defenses up!!)
The Imposter evolves and mutates, lying that you don’t belong because you don’t appear broken enough, or appear to have not suffered as much as others. “Others have it worse. Your privilege in one area disqualifies you from feeling worthy of support in ANY area.”
Healthily Combatted by: trusting yourself, seeking out community, your support system, your tribe. Mindfulness, balance. Being aware of your privilege where you DO have it, & using it for good, creating a support space for others with less privilege to speak on their own experiences - but also recognizing the places where you lack privilege, and acknowledging the validity of the struggle you face in that area of life; then seeking out places of support, and trusting that community to support you. Taking up space, sharing your story. Even as you do your best to persevere and overcome your struggles, knowing that your story is a blessing to others who may also struggle, and you are not weak or immature when expressing your struggles or seeking help; no matter how much better you think you have it than others.

The Boggart

Irrational fears, blown way out of proportion
Healthily Combatted by: acknowledging the fear as real and valid, but recognizing the source of the fear as ridiculous (“riddikulus!”), & naming it as such. Remembering your power.

The Anxiety demon (a beast involuntarily summoned by you when there’s too much of a challenge)

Summoned when in combat with a challenge that were not prepared for. Actions: Fight, Fly, Freeze, or Fawn. Makes disorienting, bright lights & white noise. If the challenge is only a Boggart, it will turn on you overwhelmingly.
Healthily Combatted by: awareness of the threat

The Depression dementor (a beast involuntarily summoned by you when there’s not enough of a challenge)

Summoned when there’s a lack of an exciting challenge in your journey. When the gifts & skills on your character sheet aren’t used, when the encounters presented are way below your level and aren’t challenging or helping to “level you up.” Over an extended period of time without a suitable challenge, ennui sets in, and the Depression Dementor manifests from the cloud of funk that has gathered.
Healthily Combatted by: communicating needs, finishing appropriate outlets to experience, express, create at your level.

The Scarcity projection

When there’s not enough stimuli to reach the needed threshold in the present moment, I panic, believing that I’ll never have enough, or never have an appropriate outlet for emotional expression.
Healthily Combatted by: awareness of the situation, trust in your own beautiful palate and threshold, trusting your support system, trusting that there will be more outlets in the future, seeking out those outlets. Persevering through the period of scarcity, knowing it will end. Coping in healthy small ways until it is appropriate to engage fully.

The Time bomb (summons the Bleeder & the Multitasker)

Makes you think you have no time in the future, that you must address this idea/issue/feeling NOW; that you will not be able to remember or pick it up again in the future. Causes unhealthy levels of hyper-fixation. (Often attacks the Neurodivergent).
Healthily Combatted by: trusting your future self, writing it down & using systems of organization.

The Bleeder (cousin to the Multitasker)

So obsessed with own emotions, can’t compartmentalize, & “bleed” all over inappropriate situations.
Healthily Combatted by: compartmentalization (with the promise of a healthy moment in the future to unpack), acceptance of emotions without judgement, awareness of low-level vs high-level spells, logical awareness of the physical symptoms of the current emotions, and letting them pass, sharing them with the Enraptured, compassion for self, and for those around me.

The Multitasker (cousin to the Bleeder)

Hyper-focused on everything at once rather than one thing at a time. So focused/fascinated by enjoyable tasks, to-do lists, games, songs in the head; that I can’t focus on the situation at hand.
Healthily Combatted by: redirecting energy to healthy use of stim toys (appropriate for the situation; silent & low-distraction choices always at hand), grounding, deep breaths, taking notes for later, patience, trusting future self.

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