Our Origin Story

Geek Wellness Education was started by our president, David Lane, a lifelong fan of Horror, Sci-Fi and Superheroes...and a lifelong sufferer of Depression and Generalized Anxiety Disorder. After a period of mental health crisis in 2019, while getting the (continuing) professional help that he needed, he realized that, for years, it was his love of genre properties that kept him alive and knowing that others in the community suffer from mental health issues, he wanted to help reach them. 

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After the April 29th, 2020 death of Chucky co-creator John Lafia, the decision was made to host a convention event in his honor that would also provide mental health resources and education. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, that event was cancelled, but it allowed time to expand the idea. Instead of one event, there would be many, at conventions across the country. A corporation was formed, 501c3 status granted and we launched our first initiative: Horror Heals: A Tribute to Child's Play's John Lafia.

Since then we have expanded into other concepts, including:

• The Batman: Bruce Wayne's Trauma and how B.A.T. can help (a special event at a theater on The Batman's opening night that discussed how Behavioral Activation Therapy can help you recover from trauma) 
• Hakuna Matata Day (we helped out some kids who have been through a tough time with a princess make-over, pizza and arcade games and tickets to The Lion King musical)
• Mental Health Academia: The Psychology of Anime (convention panel)
• A Real American Hero Mental Day (which provided mental health treatment for geeky veterans and their families)
• Heroes Assemble: (cosplay superheroes visit children with life-threatening illnesses to provide encouragement (and presents)
• Clink: An Introduction to RPGs and Mental Health (which uses fantasy role playing games to teach mental health lessons)

GWE is also a proud member of the Mental Health Storytelling Coalition, and along with our partners, help to craft and promote the Mental Health Media Guide for use in tv and film.

We aren't mental health professionals, we're just a bunch of geeks who recognize that like any great franchise, YOUR story isn't over yet.