What is geek therapy, and how can games, fandom, and pop culture help us better understand ourselves?

In this episode of Deciphering Growth, Tiffany introduces Eric to geek therapy insight and distress-tolerance cards inspired by Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, Baldur’s Gate, video games, and side quests. Together, they explore identity, personal strengths, emotional regulation, coping skills, self-care, burnout, values, and the roles we play in both games and everyday life.

Can choosing a lightsaber color reveal something about your identity? What does your ideal character build say about your personal needs? What if you imagined a difficult emotion as a monster you could train? Join us for a fun, honest demonstration of how geek therapy can make mental health conversations and self-reflection feel more creative, comfortable, and accessible.

This podcast is intended for informational and educational purposes and does not constitute mental health or medical advice.

Is TikTok making mental health more accessible—or more confusing?

In this episode of Deciphering Growth, licensed therapists Tiffany Graves and Eric Stone explore the rise of "therapy speak" across TikTok and social media.

From trauma and triggers to narcissism, gaslighting, boundaries, dissociation, and self-diagnosis, they discuss why these terms have become so common, where misinformation spreads, and how viral mental health advice can both help and harm.

The conversation also covers how to critically evaluate online psychology content, why context matters, and how social media influences the way we understand our own mental health.

If you've ever wondered whether a viral therapy video is actually accurate, this episode is for you.

Topics include:

• Therapy speak explained• Trauma vs. difficult experiences• Gaslighting and narcissism misconceptions• Self-diagnosis on social media• Mental health misinformation• Healthy ways to consume psychology content• The benefits—and risks—of TikTok therapy

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Sports betting has exploded across the United States—butwhen does entertainment become addiction?

In this episode of Deciphering Growth, Tiffany Graves,and Eric Stone dive into the psychology behind gambling addiction, sports betting, process addictions, and why gambling is becoming a growing mental health concern. Using recent athlete gambling scandals as a startingpoint, they explore how trauma, dopamine, accessibility, and modern technology are changing the way we think about gambling.

Whether you've wondered about sports betting, onlinecasinos, bingo, loot boxes, fantasy sports, or gambling's impact on mental health, this episode offers an evidence-informed discussion designed to increase awareness—not judgment.

🎧 You'll learn:• What gambling addiction actually looks like• Why sports betting is becoming more common• The neuroscience behind gambling behavior• How trauma and emotional regulation influence gambling• Warning signs of problem gambling• Why gambling disorders are often misunderstood