Mental Mages Podcast
Mental Mages is two mental health therapists talking about what they know best- mental health and pop culture.
Recent Episodes
Feb. 5, 2026
Ep 58- Stranger Things
Spoiler alert for ALL episodes of Stranger Things. Shayna and Kathy are joined by Megan, a social worker, and Erika, a student pursuing her MSW. The Netflix show, Stranger Things, that took the world by storm almost 10 years ago has come to an end and we talked about our love of the show and many of the mental health themes. We touch on grief and trauma and the importance of supportive relationships and, of course, DnD. Citations, resources and credits Artwork by Matthew Gwaltney- https
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May 29, 2025
Ep 57- We are in Fluxx with Looney Labs
One of Shayna's favorite games to play in therapy is a card game called, FLUXX. It is a unique and fun game with ever changing rules. And what makes it even better is that there are many different versions, so anyone can find a version they love! In this episode, Shayna and Kathy interviewed the creators of FLUXX, Andy and Kristin Looney. Learn more about them, their games, how they can be used in therapy, and how they are just plain fun to play for everyone. Looney Labs was founded in 1996 b
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April 14, 2025
Ep 56- AI and Mental Health
Age of Ultron, Terminator, I, Robot, The Matrix, and R2D2. What do they all have in common? Yup- they are all movies about AI. Most of the books, movies, and television shows about AI seem to be about machines rising up to take over the world. Well, except R2. Having an R2 may just be worth the risk. But the fact is, AI is here and touches on almost every aspect of modern life. Shayna and Kathy touch on how AI is already being used related to mental health. They explore the history, the potenti
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Jan. 20, 2025
Ep 55- Percy Jackson and ADHD
Shayna and Kathy are joined by Ana, a clinical social worker who you may remember from the Steven Universe episode (7). Ana discusses what it was like growing up with Percy Jackson and with ADHD, and how those two things are related. Her cat, Percy, also provides some entertainment. Citations, resources and credits Percy and ADHD Artwork by Matthew Gwaltney- https://www.bdbumblebee.com Editing by Ryan Merrill- https://www.instagram.com/the_nerdyeditor Intro Music is "Call to Adventure" Kevin
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Nov. 26, 2024
Ep 54- Day of the Dead
Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is a celebration of life, death, and family that is typically celebrated in Mexico and other parts of Latin America. Shayna and Kathy are joined by Jose, a Mexican American mental health therapist, and Yessica, a Mexican American student intern studying to become a mental health therapist, as they discuss this holiday. Citations, resources and credits Day of the Dead Traditions Artwork by Matthew Gwaltney- https://www.bdbumblebee.com Editing by Ryan M
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Nov. 13, 2024
Ep 53- Cosplay with NerdyNostalgia
Shayna and Kathy talk with Kaitlyn, a Florida based artist, cosplayer, and convention meetup host, who is better known as NerdyNostalgia. Kaitlyn talks about how she got into cosplaying, making the it more accessible to beginners like herself, social media, mental health and, of course, Critical Role. Kaitlyn first caught Shayna's eye when they were both at a convention cosplaying characters from Vox Machina (Critical Role). Citations, resources and credits Artwork by Matthew Gwaltney- https
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Recent Blog Posts
June 29, 2022
Queer YA literature 101 as decided by Shelby
Shelby Bouck knows what she is talking about. She has a Masters degree in in library and information science and is obsessed with YA novels. She was our guest on episode 9, which is all about queer representation in YA literature. Here are some of h…
June 14, 2022
Therapists Next Door Podcast Appearance
Kathy was honored to appear on the podcast, Therapists Next Door, to discuss community mental health.
June 10, 2022
Essential Steven Universe Episodes
While we recommend watching the entire Steven Universe Series (multiple times even), Shayna has compiled a list of "essential" episodes. Season 1 Ep 25 (Mirror Gem) and 26 (Ocean Gem) In these episodes Steven meets Lapis. Season 3, ep 13 (Too …
About the Hosts
Shayna
Shayna (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in mental health for 3 years. Shayna specializes in individual and group work and is very passionate about integrating games, crafts, movies, music, and other forms of pop culture into sessions. Shayna has certifications in Superhero Therapy and Cinema Therapy. She and her husband are board game enthusiasts and enjoy playing Dungeons and Dragons every week. Shayna is a proud member of house Hufflepuff.
Kathy
Kathy (she/her) is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who has worked in mental health since the 90's, specializing in trauma. She has worked with people as young as 3 to adults- using pop culture references and interventions with every one of them. She's a wife, a dance mom and her cat tolerates her. She has an extensive collection of Wonder Woman paraphernalia, loves crafting, spooky stuff and rhinos.