https://www.videogamehealth.com/contact daily 0.75 2025-11-14 https://www.videogamehealth.com/about daily 0.75 2026-03-02 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1591428792239-4L6Q4FCNBHYNOP0J458G/Best+photoshop.png About - Andrew Fishman, LCSW (he/him) is a therapist in Chicago who specializes in video game-related issues in adolescents. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from New College of Florida, with areas of concentration in psychology and art. After graduating, he spent four years working at a therapeutic school for middle schoolers with emotional and behavioral disorders while pursuing a master’s degree in clinical social work at Loyola University Chicago. During this time, he completed a six-month internship at a facility for people with substance abuse-related concerns. Since then, he has conducted individual and family therapy for adolescents with a variety of presenting issues and led groups for autistic teens and adults. Andrew is also certified by the International Gambling Counselor Certification Board to treat video game addiction. Since he was a child, Andrew has also enjoyed playing video games and recognizes the many benefits they offer. Because of this, Andrew founded the Chicago Nerd Therapist Alliance in 2021, bringing together a diverse group of therapists across Chicagoland who understand and value nerd culture such as anime, video games, cosplay, and comic books. Andrew also understands that, for many, video games present a real challenge. Because video games are often designed to be as fun and habit-forming as possible, many young people find it challenging to balance their desire to play games with their chores, family time, homework, and other extracurricular activities. By helping people identify and examine their values, he helps them to find balance in their lives and be the people they want to be. https://www.videogamehealth.com/media daily 0.75 2026-01-29 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/387487b2-e943-4131-86d7-089d90c04a5b/Wall-Street-Journal-logo.jpeg In the Media - Make it stand out “Our Sense of Time Is Way Off – Especially Time We Spend on the Internet https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/71c68aa7-692b-48e9-ab74-6a7c32693113/Screenshot+2026-01-25+at+4.32.38%E2%80%AFPM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Video Game Addiction Is on the Rise. Here’s What It Looks Like” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621536740295-W8GPP14MBXAVDUKZNQG9/logo-ebm-grey.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Video Games Are Social Spaces for Today’s Generation” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621537472264-KESBUQ2OCJD3D27DRSRP/logo+%281%29.png In the Media - Make it stand out “U.S. FDA: Children with ADHD Can Now Be Prescribed a Video Game” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1631862250863-C6LSEHLEOKAGICUMEQJV/1_jfdwtvU6V6g99q3G7gq7dQ.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Video Games Are the Perfect Family Bonding Tool If Used Right” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/277560f7-250a-416d-822e-5409133d261c/Screen+Shot+2023-07-30+at+1.04.56+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “What Works Best: Online or In-Person Therapy?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/d7499d28-a62c-4324-b578-0fcd5b3e3a45/Screen+Shot+2023-09-30+at+3.35.26+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Why Play Videogames in Family?'“ https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/e09be666-bd05-40ae-9e1d-01d9eadcc9b7/dblogo-01+%281%29+%281%29+%281%29.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Meet the Therapists Offering Mental Health Support on Minecraft” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/d5a7b0d0-70fe-4d32-a893-f93f9bacafd0/P21KAcnr_400x400.jpeg In the Media - Make it stand out “A Digital Outing: How Video Games Force Us to Understand our Gender and Sexuality” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621536324296-9ZLI83W115SDFSX24DBG/Screen+Shot+2021-05-20+at+1.19.48+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Gaming Is Helping People Cope During the COVID-19 Lockdown” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621536381937-E7X1RXNZ5ZOU15LFO18W/Screen+Shot+2021-05-20+at+1.21.56+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Digital Parenting - Video Games in the Family” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1631862356359-13RFTPFTARWZOEDPR0YF/iscte-university-institute-of-lisbon.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Investigating the Role of Esport on the Free to Play Business Model: An Analysis of League of Legends Economic Success” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621537944320-DJZ1CS4Y9OEC17PB0953/Screen+Shot+2021-05-20+at+2.12.04+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “What Are Adolescents Really Getting Out of Their Online Life?” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/0c86f787-8811-4578-87f0-734716fb9b82/Screenshot+2026-01-29+at+3.26.27%E2%80%AFPM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Must Be Accompanied by an Adult: Why Teens Are Turning to Online Gaming for Social Connection” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1631862250863-C6LSEHLEOKAGICUMEQJV/1_jfdwtvU6V6g99q3G7gq7dQ.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Trouble in the Chatroom: Cyberbullying in Video Games” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/247938db-bed2-4464-a535-3ba2d6c55a15/download.png In the Media - Make it stand out “A Large-Scale Study of Changes to the Quantity, Quality, and Distribution of Video Game Play During a Global Health Pandemic” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621536629347-P17UKT4BUKURKSUGGPNW/Screen+Shot+2021-05-20+at+1.34.10+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Analysis of the Microtransaction in the Game Market: A Field Approach to the Digital Games Industry” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1621536694729-08YDT5WS6A67GS2BFFWD/Screen+Shot+2021-05-20+at+1.23.32+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “How Multiplayer Games Keep Us Connected” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1631862173381-W9SS7GPAIXGG9CB16C4B/1_jfdwtvU6V6g99q3G7gq7dQ.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Video Games Are Shaping the Social Spaces of the Future” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/17efa25d-98cf-4855-ad3e-e52a3ef80dda/Screen+Shot+2022-04-21+at+10.42.27+PM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “The Cognitive Psychology of Internet Gaming Disorder” https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/ac689649-72a4-44b8-90ae-2d8488c1d02d/Screenshot+2024-04-20+at+1.06.01%E2%80%AFPM.png In the Media - Make it stand out “Video Games as Mental Health Outlet” https://www.videogamehealth.com/glossary daily 0.75 2021-09-26 https://www.videogamehealth.com/resources daily 0.75 2021-10-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1623829350542-ML4ZE3JWEZR4E5BZ4HY7/pexels-robert-nagy-3930068.jpg Resources and CEUs - Video Games and Your Clients: What You Need to Know Now Learn why video games are so hard to put down, understand what content is appropriate, how to set healthy time limits, and how to talk to your clients about the impact video games have on their lives. (1-Hour Course - 1 CEU Credit). https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1623828996802-TGSUNCA6VOYQDGA4IH88/pexels-rodnae-productions-7915289.jpg Resources and CEUs - How to Speak “Gamer” Nearly all young people play video games. Gamers have a shared language, full of acronyms and shorthand that non-gamers do not understand. (What is an MMORPG? A kid just told me he plays a DPS on a team with tanks. What is he talking about?) This can make building rapport difficult. Learn the basics of video games and how to communicate more effectively with gamers. (45-Minute Course - 1 CEU Credit) https://www.videogamehealth.com/recommendations daily 0.75 2021-09-26 https://www.videogamehealth.com/trainings daily 0.75 2021-10-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1623828996802-TGSUNCA6VOYQDGA4IH88/pexels-rodnae-productions-7915289.jpg Trainings - How to Speak “Gamer” Nearly all young people play video games. Gamers have a shared language, full of acronyms and shorthand that non-gamers do not understand. (What is an MMORPG? My kid just told me he plays a DPS on a team with tanks. What is he talking about?) This can make building rapport and parenting difficult. Learn the basics of video games and how to communicate more effectively with gamers. https://www.videogamehealth.com/candy-crush daily 0.75 2024-05-12 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/2b420a8d-3159-4fb1-8092-5eb1f80b57b1/IMG_8432.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Players have an in-game "Piggy Bank" which holds rewards earned in-game. It can only be accessed with real money. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/798da159-39c2-42d0-b07b-333e90d273ee/IMG_8524.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Candy Crush offers additional, randomized bonuses to players who voluntarily watch advertisements. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/511e42b2-cd1b-4c8c-a0f2-4e591f2bd281/IMG_8646.jpeg Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Players can spin this wheel once per day for a random reward. Players who do not open the app every day miss the opportunity. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/a57768ed-45ed-469c-973d-a78a84f30bf5/IMG_8523.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Players are incentivized to play every day to reach six stickers as quickly as possible. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1405b4d1-9b94-44ff-b4a9-b92816330c6d/IMG_8565.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Each level won builds a "streak," which increases rewards over time. Players are incentivized to use bonuses and in-game currency to avoid losing a level and dropping to the bottom. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/ffdb1a7d-ae86-4a49-a1f5-7179e6293626/IMG_8577.jpeg Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Whenever players run out of chances, they may continue playing by waiting several minutes, watching an advertisement, spending real money to continue playing, or reach out to friends, encouraging them to open the app to help. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1e6dda39-9ede-4f03-b732-f9a5a8e78fc6/IMG_8440.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Candy Crush offers frequent sales, making purchases feel like a good deal. Note that all of the rewards offered expire 1-3 hours after purchase. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/6e1e4f36-a9a4-484a-bdbd-d661dbb142e3/IMG_8555.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) In addition to the "Booster Wheel," Players also receive a randomized reward every day from the "Daily Treat Machine." Randomness like this is very similar to gambling. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/24a8b530-2f58-49a5-a6ec-596d1ff9e001/IMG_8674.jpeg Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Each week, players compete with strangers for better prizes. This encourages them to try to play more and outspend the others. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/a5ae7a37-95f0-4561-a012-decba0e09c8d/IMG_8676.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) By offering special deals and complicated combinations of prizes, the game abstracts the in-game currency and makes it harder to directly compare to real money. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/e36b269f-3353-43ac-92c4-0dcdec739305/IMG_8677.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) Note the time limits below many of the items. For $80, you get unlimited lives, but only for 72 hours. If you want to take advantage of the deal, you should play as much as possible for those three days. https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/b8368423-be37-4ea3-93f0-e40d82e61963/IMG_8678.PNG Case Study (Candy Crush Saga) The in-game store offers purchases up to $100 at a time. https://www.videogamehealth.com/gallery-4 daily 0.75 2024-09-23 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847728111-0R6F2UAVNFOZV0X72E1W/20140301_Trade-151_0124-copy.jpg Gallery 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847727735-YAS9X6TJRA7J13G5BXQ4/20140228_Trade+151_0046.jpg Gallery 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847726907-424FGLTKCC1T83UE9DJD/Aro%2BHa_0428.jpg Gallery 4 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5ec321c2af33de48734cc929/1589847726655-19TO7TR8MSLUNXDG4EL8/Large+JPG-Aro+Ha_0010.jpg Gallery 4 https://www.videogamehealth.com/appointments daily 0.75 2026-03-01 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/30be6185-7d75-4882-8142-8912c2c5dcd0/Fishman+Headshot+White.png https://www.videogamehealth.com/worksheets daily 0.75 2025-12-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/2ef72815-f71a-4b94-bb98-b55bfc700c01/Screenshot+2025-12-25+at+12.41.47%E2%80%AFPM.png Worksheets https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/50725f4c-84bb-47c5-84cb-9d2803be923c/Screenshot+2025-12-25+at+1.02.22%E2%80%AFPM.png Worksheets https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing daily 1.0 2026-02-05 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/523a95a5-f74f-462e-8aba-f98263831177/9780897334617.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/a96c199c-879f-4ab2-8179-bff48e30e6a7/Untitled+presentation+%286%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/4cc68987-4640-407f-93ea-f96ccb49a61a/Untitled+presentation+%287%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/52a583fd-a357-48b7-bf14-fb418936d1ea/Untitled+presentation+%284%29.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/a94d88a6-2ddd-4c76-aa51-2a637d54082c/Untitled+presentation+%285%29.png https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/whywontmykidstopplaying monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/howtoimproveyourlife monthly 0.5 2021-07-07 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/playvideogameswithyourkids monthly 0.5 2022-01-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/womeningaming monthly 0.5 2022-01-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/https/wwwpsychologytodaycom/us/blog/video-game-health/202203/why-i-play-video-games-my-therapy-clients monthly 0.5 2022-04-22 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/videogameswellbeing monthly 0.5 2022-08-15 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/how-to-help-kids monthly 0.5 2022-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/2ad6c22f-9e38-4527-8638-8aeb1afbb4f5/C9Nw1icXYAEL4mJ.jpeg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/4efc1a37-7296-4ee8-a033-047066f54e84/Screen+Shot+2022-12-08+at+12.53.22+AM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/41e92724-bc1e-4cc0-9501-688e5a91b699/Screen+Shot+2022-12-08+at+12.55.24+AM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/53a8fd61-ff96-4e3b-b35d-3fd4059f6dbb/Screen+Shot+2022-12-08+at+12.57.15+AM.png https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/why-its-so-hard monthly 0.5 2022-12-28 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/stressandmindfulness monthly 0.5 2020-02-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/protectingchildren monthly 0.5 2020-02-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/videogamesaresocialspaces monthly 0.5 2020-02-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/blamegame monthly 0.5 2023-07-30 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/gottacatchemall monthly 0.5 2020-07-19 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/whyisthisgamesoaddictive monthly 0.5 2020-02-08 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/whyiboughtavideogametocope monthly 0.5 2020-06-29 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/fdaapprovesvideogame monthly 0.5 2023-04-03 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/playingwiththoughts monthly 0.5 2023-04-03 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/thirdplaces monthly 0.5 2025-10-19 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/genderidentity monthly 0.5 2023-12-28 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/639cd3c2-6617-4958-a06a-dfa9d78af97f/BW_player_selection_English.png Writing - How Gamers Use Video Games to Explore Gender Identity https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/1124b340-a047-4a85-8350-2c8076d5299c/Screen+Shot+2023-04-03+at+5.51.19+PM.png Writing - How Gamers Use Video Games to Explore Gender Identity https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/argumentagainstvideogameaddiction monthly 0.5 2023-07-30 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/argumentforvideogameaddiction monthly 0.5 2023-12-28 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/screentime1 monthly 0.5 2023-12-28 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/screentime2 monthly 0.5 2023-12-28 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/reading monthly 0.5 2024-03-30 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/27575a94-e743-43c3-80ad-0c3e6b0e1355/613DBQQM1HL._AC_UF1000%2C1000_QL80_.jpg https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/d5862127-9eea-47d8-ad63-ec6ddef08e6c/Screen+Shot+2024-02-18+at+3.33.25+PM.png https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/cb0d1669-2394-48ff-961f-35e17a8dc77a/Screen+Shot+2024-02-18+at+3.40.38+PM.png https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/digitaldrugs monthly 0.5 2024-09-16 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/fdaapprovesvideogame-4ep8l monthly 0.5 2025-08-23 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/we-dont-know-anything monthly 0.5 2025-08-23 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/attention monthly 0.5 2025-10-19 https://www.videogamehealth.com/writing/roblox monthly 0.5 2025-12-25 https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/5e3f1761ce826c70d42bac54/e6c64a22-f6a2-41be-b5e3-6a64feafef48/Screenshot+2025-10-05+at+3.56.27%E2%80%AFPM+copy.png