The winter holidays have passed, the days are growing longer, and the Take This team is excited to welcome 2025 and all its possibilities. In our January newsletter, we highlighted some of the things we were able to accomplish last year, such as supporting over 2,000 people at AFK Rooms, launching the Accelerate program, and providing education and training topics like burnout and online harassment to over 500 game industry professionals. None of it would have been possible without the generosity, support, and trust you’ve placed in us and our mission.
The New Year brings with it new opportunities. As many of you know, we’re in the process of hiring a full time Philanthropy and Partnerships Officer to build more robust and diverse funding sources to ensure our sustainability. Later this year, we also have plans to bring on a part time digital media specialist to up our digital presence and make sure our message and mission are broadcast far and wide.
In terms of what that message says, this year we’re recommitting to our core belief that it’s dangerous to go alone. While mental health challenges can leave us feeling isolated, we know that games can – and do – bring us together. For over a decade, Take This has worked to uplift game players and game makers managing mental illness, pushed for acknowledgement and acceptance of mental health challenges in gaming spaces, and provided evidenced-based mental health information, training, and resources that highlight the unique strengths and specific challenges people in our community face.
Take This is committed to continuing to champion these values. We will continue to ensure the mental health information we provide is accurate and backed by research. We will continue to show up in the gaming community and provide space to recover and feel heard. We will continue to build a better future at the intersection of games and mental health where different voices, perspectives, and experiences are valued, supported, and amplified.
While recommitting to our work and our values, we also acknowledge our need to grow and change to better reflect our principles. The staff at Take This and the organization as a whole is committed to acting in accordance with the aspirational principles expected of those in mental health spaces : a commitment to doing no harm AND doing right by those we interact with; establishing relationships based on trust and mutual respect; committing to accuracy and honesty when sharing information; acknowledging our biases, learning from and taking accountability for our mistakes, and taking steps to prevent past failures from reoccurring; and recognizing the dignity and humanity of all we work with.*
We hope to see you at an upcoming convention, stream, or in the Discord. As always, please take care of yourself and take care of those around you.
Kelli
*Drawn from general principles of the APA’s ethical design guidelines for clinicians.