Let's Play Therapy Institute

I’ll be attending this event and hope to see many of you there supporting this incredibly important cause! If you can’t make it, please consider making a donation.

https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/colors-of-resilience-a-tribute-to-gaza-through-visual-art?zlinkid=973de804-85b5-4a3e-b7ae-21dfbd91ee82

🙌🏽🎉🥳👏

Thousands of Trainers gathered in the beautiful city of Chicago, united by a shared love of adventure, exploration and play. From walking miles together through parks and city streets to teaming up for raids, trading Pokémon and helping complete strangers achieve their goals, it was a wonderful reminder of the power of community.

One of the things I love most about Pokémon GO is that it isn't just about catching Pokémon. It's about connection. It's about friendships old and new, teamwork, laughter and creating memories together. Over the course of the weekend, I saw people from all walks of life come together, support one another and celebrate a game that brings so much joy. My feet may be tired but my heart is full. 💜

Thank you to everyone who made this weekend so special. Until next time, Trainers!

What an incredible experience presenting “Supporting the Emotional Worlds of Adolescents Through Play and Expressive Therapy” for the PESI Play Therapy Conference!

Thank you to everyone who attended from around the world. Your engagement, thoughtful questions and willingness to reflect made the experience so meaningful.

One of my favorite moments was reading the messages you would give to your teenage selves. I’ll be honest it took a lot for me not to start crying.

I'm grateful to hear that many of you walked away with fresh ideas, practical interventions and renewed inspiration for your work with adolescents.

As we head into the weekend, I hope you take some time to play. Build something. Create something. Explore something. Laugh a little. We spend so much time encouraging our clients to engage in meaningful play that sometimes we need the reminder ourselves.

And if you'll be at Pokémon GO Fest, let me know! I'll be spending the weekend catching Pokémon in BEAUTIFUL Chicago and enjoying some much-needed playtime after a very busy few weeks.

Thank you again for learning, growing, reflecting, and geeking out with me. I appreciate every one of you. 💜

Blockbuster date delays, indie hits, & a StarFox revival

Welcome back to the FOX on Games newsletter, your weekly strategic breakdown of the biggest events shifting the video game industry. As we do every Thursday, we are here to jump-start your weekend with an exclusive look at the massive news stories, software previews, and major library updates dropping on the podcast tomorrow morning.

The Autumn Release Window Bloodbath The biggest takeaway from the latest Sony Interactive Entertainment State of Play comes down to how publishers are reacting to the looming shadow of Grand Theft Auto 6. The industry appears terrified of launching anything near Rockstar Games ’s juggernaut next November. As a result, this September has transformed into an absolute release window bloodbath.

Anticipated titles like Silent Hill Townfall, Onimusha: Way of the Samurai, and Phantom Blade Zero have all been squeezed into launching within mere days of each other to stay clear of late-autumn risks. Meanwhile, Sony has confirmed that Lara Croft’s next major adventure, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, is avoiding the crowded window entirely, delaying out of the year completely.

Surprise Reveals and Indie Milestones The horror genre caught a massive surprise with the official announcement that Until Dawn 2 is currently in active development, kicking off with a teaser showcasing a brand-new cast stranded at an abandoned resort hotel. On the cozy side of the industry, Dave the Diver creator MINT ROCKET surprised fans with Bancho the Chef, a prequel title focused entirely on running the beloved sushi restaurant.

We are also tracking massive success in the indie space. Yacht Club Games has secured another major hit under its belt, as Bloomberg reports that their new title Mina the Hollower has already crossed 300,000 copies sold.

Hands-On: The Switch 2's StarFox Remake I also locked in some early hands-on time with the highly anticipated StarFox remake ahead of its June 25th release date. This Switch 2 exclusive features massive graphical upgrades, but the real star of the show is the refined control layout.

The remake introduces an excellent asynchronous two-player co-op mode—where one player pilots the Arwing using a controller while the other acts as the gunner using mouse controls. On top of that, a robust 4v4 battle mode utilizes the Switch 2’s native game chat and camera features, incorporating augmented reality tech to make the avatars mimic your real-world mouth and eye movements.

We are just scratching the surface of this week's ecosystem shifts. From the full breakdown of upcoming hardware features to the latest monthly free games hitting PlayStation , XBOX , and Nintendo subscription services, we have the complete analysis ready for you.

Tap the link below to dive into the full episode as soon as it drops this Friday at 9:00 AM ET.

Listen Link: https://radio.foxnews.com/podcast/fox-on-games/

I’m going and soooooo excited! Anyone else going?!

A massive Pokémon Go festival is taking over Chicago 😱 this weekend for the 1st time since 2019⚡️❤️. Read more below....👇

OMGoodness! I've been so incredibly busy these last few weeks that I never got around to making my appreciation post. 🤦🏽‍♀️

Two weeks ago, clinicians traveled from near and far to gather together for two days of learning, playing, building, creating and unapologetically geeking out. And honestly I'm still sitting with the impact of it all.

What made these two days so powerful wasn't the the activities, my playlist or even the mountains of bricks. It was the people.

It was the vulnerability in the room. The stories that were shared. The moments of laughter that had us all in tears and the moments of tears that reminded us why we do this work in the first place.

To everyone who attended, thank you. Thank you for showing up fully. Thank you for your curiosity, your willingness to play, your incredible insights and your trust. Every training takes on a life of its own because of the people in the room and this group created something truly special.

This event was especially meaningful because some very special people were there with me, including one of my best friends, Amy Nelson, LCSW, LSCSW, RPT-S. Amy flew all the way to Illinois to help make this vision a reality. She moved mountains of bricks, offered encouragement when I needed it most and shared in every meaningful moment along the way.

Amy, I don't think I can adequately express how grateful I am. Thank you for your friendship, your support, your generosity and your love. There were so many moments throughout those two days that feel almost impossible to explain. But you were there so you know.

Thank you to every person who helped make those two days unforgettable. You reminded me why I love this work so much.

Here's to what we've built together and to everything that's still to come. 💕💕💕💕💕



Photo description:

Collage of photos from a play therapy training and friendship-filled conference experience. Images include a colorful toy shop sign that reads “Let’s Play,” Amy Nelson smiling in front of a Let’s Play Therapy Institute welcome display, a custom engraved Let’s Play Therapy Institute wooden keychain, a superhero-themed photo backdrop with colorful wings, Sophia Ansari and Amy Nelson smiling together in front of a wall of suspended books, and a classroom activity where participants build a large archway from construction bricks topped with a Superman figure. The collage is set against a soft pink background decorated with hearts and highlights themes of creativity, play, learning, friendship, and community.

❤️🖤🤍💚

Getting excited for our 2-Day Play Therapy Conference! 🦸🏽‍♀️ 🧱

Two days of learning, connection, creativity, and practical tools to support children and families through the power of play. I’m looking forward to being surrounded by passionate professionals who believe healing can happen through connection, expression, and play.

Ready for an inspiring two days together! 💛