Abe Crawford is a proud geek, and registered social worker, holding a Master of Social Work specializing in clinical practice and a focus on infant, child, and adolescent mental health. For over a decade Abe has worked on the frontline with individuals of all ages in school, residential, and, since completing his MSW in 2022, clinical settings.

Abe’s journey in the world of pop culture-based therapy began in 2018 after completing his training in Superhero Therapy and has grown to become an integral part of his practice as an educator and therapist. Abe has since gone on to share his insights in the field, presenting at the Therapeutic and Applied Geek and Gaming Summit, the Superhero Therapy Conference, and an ongoing role as a guest lecturer showcasing his approach using Superhero Therapy to undergraduate and graduate social work students at the University of Calgary.

Abe's passion lies in combining his geeky love of games, superheroes, and all things pop culture, with his years of direct work with children, adolescents, and adults to create experientially based therapeutic activities that make mental health treatment more relatable, understandable, accessible, and (most importantly) fun for kids of all ages (kids at heart included).

Cyndi Starzyk-Frey is a Registered Social Worker with a MEd in Guidance and Counselling and is a life long geek and pop culture fanatic. She’s been in the counselling field for over 25 years and has owned a Private Practice and been a Sessional Instructor at Lethbridge College for over 20 years. Currently she is an Adult Counsellor and team Consultant for the Sexual Assault Centre (SACE) in Edmonton.

She has Deanna Troi from Star Trek Next Generation to thank for becoming a Counsellor and draws upon the abilities of her most recently rolled DnD characters for her own personal support figures. She can often be heard humming her theme song when times are tough. (You’ll have to attend the workshop to find out more on this!).

Cyndi has presented on various topics through the years but her favorites involve the use of pop culture in therapy. Pop Culture and Geek Therapy are her go to’s in the therapeutic process and she wants to share this passion with others!