Inside Geek Therapy: Creativity, Identity, And Neuroaffirming Care with Jaitesha Hanson

Send us Fan MailTherapy gets real when people are allowed to bring their whole selves into the room. We sit down with licensed mental health counsellor Jitesha Hanson to unpack geek therapy, a neuroaffirming approach that uses hobbies, games, art and fandoms as clinical tools for regulation and growth. From a Switch on the table to sketchbooks and fidgets within reach, the space itself signals safety, creativity and collaboration.Jaitesha explains how regulation emotion mapping captures the what, when and why of a client’s creative habits, then translates that into personalised interventions. We dig into internal family systems and explore how parts work comes alive through play: building a confident self in The Sims to practise decision-making, journalling insights and then scaffolding them into everyday life. We also talk about adapting bilateral stimulation beyond rigid protocols, using walking, alternating hand writing and rhythmic activities that support stimming rather than suppress it.The conversation widens to misdiagnosis and masking, why authentic clinicians matter, and how culture and shame shape access to care. Jaitesha shares an integrative lens on thyroid challenges, boundary-setting and throat chakra themes, and explains when and why she refers to holistic and medical providers for whole person care. We also get honest about the business side: notes that drain energy, insurance rates that undercut small clinics and the vision for The Alchemist Lab to train health professionals in practical, neuroaffirming methods. If you’re curious about therapy that fits your brain and leverages what you love, this is a fresh, grounded roadmap.Enjoyed the conversation? Follow the show, share it with a friend and leave a quick review so more people can find these tools.👤Guest Biography Jaitesha Hanson is a licensed mental health counselor and certified Geek Therapy® practitioner based in Florida. She specializes in neuroaffirming care that embraces creativity, identity, and pop culture to help clients heal. Through her clinic and educational platform, The Alchemist’s Lab, she’s helping reimagine mental health as a playful, human, and radically authentic space for transformation.Website: https://thealchemistslab.substack.comLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jaiteshahanson/Subscribe on SubstackVoices in Health and Wellness is published on Substack, as part of The Diagnostician. Every episode lands there with written notes and reflections you won't find in the podcast feed. Free to subscribe.👉 https://thediagnostician.substack.com/s/voices-in-health-and-wellnessAbout the podcastVoices in Health and Wellness features conversations at the intersection of medicine, lifestyle, and human potential, with clinicians, scientists, and thinkers shaping the future of care.About Dr Andrew GreenlandUK-based medical doctor and founder of Greenland Medical, specialising in Integrative and Functional Medicine. Trained in both conventional and root-cause approaches, Andrew helps people optimise health, performance, and longevity, with a focus on cognitive resilience and healthy ageing.