Jordan Kocon MA (He/el)
Doctoral Candidate- Counseling Psychology, New Mexico State University As a candidate in Counseling Psychology at NMSU, I pioneer integrating geek culture into culturally responsive and evidenced-based therapeutic practices. Creator of CRIT Games Lab, he leverages geek culture for creative interventions.
About this Presenter
Jordan Kocon, M.A., a doctoral candidate at New Mexico University (NMSU), is currently adventuring and tackling mini-quests in pursuing his Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. Coming from the tundra of St. Paul, Minnesota, adjusting to the mountain and desert climate has opened his eyes to the land of enchantment. Should your path cross with Jordan on the NMSU campus, he will likely be wearing his therapist, instructor, or mental health advocate hat. As the creator and Principal Investigator for CRIT Games Lab, Jordan specializes in bridging the gap between the academic literature and therapeutic environment for clients and students interested in trying out playful and creative therapeutic interventions—such as video game-informed therapy or RPG Socialization Skills group. In his clinical work, he employs Dungeons and Dragons to help clients “step into” other roles that they may not feel safe or comfortable attempting in their environment. He believes the integration of geek culture can foster and enhance essential skills like communication, problem-solving, task management, emotion regulation, and process trauma in a playful way instead of the more traditional and often mundane ways of learning and therapy.
