Community in Comic Cons

You or someone you know may have a deep passion for pop culture and fandom like Star Wars, Batman and Buffy the Vampire Slayer while others in your life may enjoy games like Settlers of Catan, Tekken 8 and Dungeons and Dragons. Perhaps your joys lie in anime like Sailor Moon, Jujutsu Kaisen or Dragonball Z. Whether you like to play games or cosplay (dress up as your favorite character),or like to find the newest boardgames, there are venues called Comic Con(vention)s for you to feel community and foster connection for mental health.

As an expressive arts therapist, TTRPGer (table top role-player gamer) and occasional cosplayer, I have experienced value in fostering community through shared interests, activities and hobbies. Commonly, I will find ways to participate in the convention as a vendor, but other times I’ll cosplay and share my passions for games like Dungeons and Dragons in the community through playing games and seeing the newest materials that enhance the TTRPG experience. 

This outlet is one of many that help produce connection to the community, deepen insight into mental health and grow wellness for individuals. If you are on the fence about engaging in fandom through comic cons, below are a few benefits of such that I hope lead you to sign up for conventions like PaxEast this 03/26-03/29, Anime Boston this 04/2026 and  Fan Expo Boston in 08/2026.

• Connection through Community - Gaming/fandom/fantasy spaces of this spectrum are great opportunities to find people who care about the same things you do. Whether you love a specific author/illustrator, voice actor, director or series, there are people who love your special interest as much as you do which can produce connection and regulate mood symptoms. 

  
  

• Self-Worth in Self-Expression - For some attendees, being able to roleplay their favorite hero or character from a show or movie can be deeply empowering. Whether you make your own costume or order it from an online store, being able to embody your inspiration and finding others that have that same passion produces both a sense of (self-)validation and satisfaction in the self-expression process.

  
  

• Purpose in the midst of Inspiration - As an expressive arts therapist that uses Dungeons and Dragons as a therapeutic intervention, I find inspiration from conventions of this caliber - inspiration that can come from seeing new miniatures to help my players personify themselves and/or their therapeutic goals, modules for storytelling or terrain for therapeutic immersion. During my last visit, I found an organization that provides therapeutic/community based support for military veterans through gaming called Frostcall and learned more about therapeutic Dungeons and Dragons through an organization called Geek Therapeutics. Organizations like these both uplift and inspire me to engage in meaningful therapeutic work and see validation that communities that celebrate common interests are both therapeutically rewarding and relationally life-giving!

Imagine if your niche interest in a fantasy world is your gateway into a new sense of community, connection and growth. Take a chance, click a link and delve into the relationship building spaces found in comic cons and I hope to see you there!

If this post resonates with you, you might consider joining our Dungeons and Dragons Therapy Group. The current session is full but you can sign up for the waiting list for the next series of sessions which will begin tentatively in May. Check out our website for more information and link to the waiting list.

---

Lou Lim, LMHC, REAT is a licensed mental health counselor and registered expressive arts therapist (REAT) with a master's degree in Expressive Therapy and Mental Health Counseling from Lesley University. He is a member of the International Expressive Arts Therapy Association and on the committee for REAT credentialing. He has 13 years of experience in counseling and expressive therapy working with children, adolescents, teenagers, adults, and retirees.

Thank you for your interest in our Monday Mental Health Moments. Join our mailing list for a weekly newsletter on various mental health topics, and information about upcoming groups or workshops. No spam, we promise!