Pokemon Go Psychotherapy

So many young people, including young adults, these days have discovered an engaging pasttime – playing Pokemon Go. I have never played it but have observed my children play it avidly in a hodge podge of unlikely locations–in the village streets, in church, in parks and malls, at landmarks like the Quezon Memorial Circle. Kids capture monsters or tools, conquer a gym. My patients are not spared.

I asked a 25 y/o girl to visit her parents in Bicol last weekend to renew ties, and hopefully, to forgive past hurts. When she came back this week, she was so full of stories–of the Bicolano Pokemons she caught and not of her parents.

When you get a lemon, make lemonade. So I asked her, “What can you learn from Pokemon Go that you can use in your life?” Thinking a bit about it, she replied:

1. Always have a goal everyday.
2. No matter how bad you feel, get out of your room and walk.
3. Work actively with teammates; go to work because you are part of a team.
4. Always remind yourself of the little successes you make each day.

So much for healing past pains; let’s play Pokemon Go!