Date and Time
August 14, 2026 Event Start: 12:00 PM Workshop: 12:30-2:00 PM Museum Access: 2:00 PM
Location
San Diego Comic-Con Museum 2131 Pan American Plaza San Diego CA 92101
Continuing Education
1.5 NBCC CE credits and 1.5 ART CE credits
About the course
Title: Bigger on the Inside: Fandom, Identity, and the Inner World Format: 90-minute experiential CE workshop (1.5 NBCC CE credits and 1.5 ART CE credits) Presenter: Ariel Landrum, LMFT, ATR Location: San Diego Comic-Con Museum 2131 Pan American Plaza San Diego, CA 92101 Room: Education Center, located on the second floor Parking: Balboa Park meters, no validation - https://balboapark.org/plan-your-visit/parking/ Course Description In Doctor Who, the TARDIS appears small from the outside while holding an expansive world within. This training uses that familiar fandom metaphor to explore the complexity of identity, self-perception, and the hidden inner worlds clients bring into clinical spaces. Through a fandom-informed and art therapy-informed lens, participants will examine how pop culture metaphors can support identity exploration, emotional expression, narrative development, and therapeutic safety. The workshop will include discussion of identity development, masking, shame, belonging, parts of self, and the difference between how people are perceived and how they experience themselves internally. Participants will engage in an experiential art-making activity by creating an “outside/inside” piece. The outside may represent roles, labels, expectations, diagnosis, professionalism, fandom identity, or what others assume. The inside may represent values, memories, needs, strengths, fears, hopes, protective parts, and preferred narratives. Attendees will leave with a practical intervention they can adapt for work with clients, students, groups, and communities. Learning Objectives - Describe how fandom-informed metaphors can support identity exploration and emotional expression. - Identify 3 clinical themes connected to the “inside/outside” metaphor. - Apply an art-based intervention to create tangible support for the client's reflection of self. - Discuss ethical considerations when integrating pop culture, fandom, and client-led interests into clinical settings.
Presenter: Ariel Landrum, LMFT, ATR
Ariel Landrum is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Certified Art Therapist. She is a proud Filipina American practicing out of California. She specializes in Narrative Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Art Therapy. She is also a self-identified Geek Therapist, as she incorporates her client's passions and fandoms as part of the treatment process. She is licensed in multiple states to provide therapy and regularly conducts mental wellness training for various Fortune 500 organizations. The populations she specializes in working with are military members and their families, the LGBTQIA+ community, survivors of sexual assault, and the AAPI diaspora. When she isn't conducting therapy in her private practice, Guidance Teletherapy, you can find her trying to catch them all on Pokémon Go.
Agenda (August 14, 2026)
12:00 PM - Event start: Lunch, meet-and-greet 12:30 PM - CE Workshop (90 minutes) 2:00 PM - Attendees dismissed, free to explore museum exhibits until close at 5 pm!
NBCC ACEP No 7507
Geek Therapy has been approved by NBCC as an Approved Continuing Education Provider, ACEP No. 7507. Programs that do not qualify for NBCC credit are clearly identified. Geek Therapy is solely responsible for all aspects of the programs.
ATCB® Approved CE Provider
Provider Name is an ATCB Authorized Continuing Education (CE) Provider. CE activities are accepted for recertification of Board Certified Registered Art Therapists (ATR-BC) and fall within ATCB-approved content areas: Art Therapy, General Mental Health Education, Supervision, and Ethics.
Geek Therapy® is a 501(c)3 Nonprofit
We advocate for the effective and meaningful use of popular media in therapeutic, educational, and community practice. We provide education and resources so helping professionals, educators, and community leaders can better understand the communities they serve, through media that matters.
Cancellation Policy
Cancellation by Participant: Full Refund: Participants are eligible for a full refund if they notify us at least 48 hours before the course start date. No Refund: Cancellations made less than 48 hours before the course start date are not eligible for a refund. Cancellation by Geek Therapy Organization: In the unlikely event that the Geek Therapy organization cancels the course, participants will receive a full refund of their donation. Exceptional Circumstances: We understand that emergencies and exceptional circumstances can occur. Participants who need to cancel due to such circumstances (e.g., medical emergencies, bereavement) should contact us as soon as possible. We will review these cases on an individual basis and may offer a full refund at our discretion. Contact Information: For cancellations, or any other inquiries related to the course, please contact us at [email protected].
Register for this GT Live Event
Bigger on the Inside: Fandom, Identity, and the Inner World
$27.00