The Companion

The absolute gleeful chuckle this DragonCon attendee got at our medals and the idea that he needed to wear them all immediately was magical. Thank you, for a wonderful weekend. We met so many wonderful people and talked all things mental health and fandom. On to the next adventure!

This is how Lawrence edits 😂

What would you name each of these 5 stages?

47% down today of the most incredible stories about how fandom saved mental health.

15 days until paperback presales! 2 days left on this special edition pre-order window (find it in our shop now)!

📚 Newsletter link in bio for more behind-the-scenes chaos ✨

45% through final edits on the most vulnerable fan stories ever shared.

Want exclusive behind-the-scenes access and first looks at what we’re creating?

Newsletter link: https://mailchi.mp/thecompanion.app/paperback-signups

Lawrence and I are tag-teaming these incredible submissions about how fandom saved mental health, and honestly? We’re both having to take editing breaks because the courage in these stories is overwhelming.

A teacher using Pokémon to help students through dark times. A woman whose life was saved by a single Sanctuary quote. Convention friendships that became chosen family when biological families failed.

Every story chosen has the power to help someone feel less alone.

This isn’t just another fan book—these are lifelines disguised as stories.

Special edition available for pre-order now. Paperback presales start July 10.

These stories deserve our very best work. Back to editing...

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Need something to do in line at Starfury Ascension? Come find us for a photo scavenger hunt!

We’re calling all fans with tattoos inspired by the shows, characters, and stories that shaped them. What fandom do you sport on your skin? Submit your ink to be featured in Embracing Mental Health as a Fandom, our upcoming book with Amanda Tapping!

Visuals like tattoos don’t just represent our love — they connect us, identify us, and remind us we’re part of something bigger. 💬💜

Pictured: The 3 Fries of 3 Fries Short showing off their fandom pride during their very first in-person meeting.

�Submit your tattoo here: https://form.jotform.com/251173991701154

Let’s celebrate the art that makes our community visible. 🎨

Get ready for Welles’s Stargate Birthday Extravaganza! 🎉🚀 Join Welles and co-fries Sarah and Cristina of 3 Fries Short on TikTok Live this Friday at 7 pm ET for games, trivia, surprise guest appearances, and maybe even some embarrassing childhood photos (you’ve been warned!). 😎

It’s going to be a blast, plus it’s a great chance to learn more about The Companion community! You can register by clicking the link to be notified when we start – and even if you don’t have a TikTok account, you can still join the live via that link on the day. Don’t miss out!

Link: https://www.tiktok.com/live/event/7488335990394716203?_r=1&enter_from=share_link&share_from_user_id=6748583736202052614

“Whenever our heroes had awoken under her care in the past, we knew all would be well.”
�Janet Fraiser wasn’t just a character. She was hope. She was calm. She was home.

Our newest video essay dives deep into her death in Stargate SG-1’s 'Heroes' and why it still hurts — and matters — so much today.

✍️ Written by Kayleigh Dray

🎥 Watch now: https://youtu.be/Iivw7-bwsbk��📬 Get stories like this + journaling prompts every week: https://www.thecompanion.app/ #/portal/signup

Because for less than the cost of a fancy coffee, you can receive real, emotional storytelling in your inbox — and join a community that gets it.

🛰️ Navigating Collective Grief

Since 2020, we’ve been moving through waves of collective grief—from a global pandemic to ongoing uncertainty in 2025. We see this in our own lives, in our communities, and even in our favorite sci-fi stories.

In this week’s newsletter, we’re exploring what collective grief is, how it manifests, and ways to navigate it together—just as the heroes in Battlestar Galactica, Star Trek, and The MCU have done.

Swipe through for practical ways to help yourself and others through collective grief. 💙

📩 Subscribe to read the full issue and join the conversation over at www.thecompanion.app

🚀 Sci-Fi & Grief: The Stories That Stay With Us

From Picard in The Inner Light to Seven of Nine reclaiming her humanity, our favorite characters have lived grief in ways that mirror our own.
This month, we’re exploring grief beyond death—from lost identities to broken dreams. Read today’s free newsletter & join our paid members for the full month’s deep dive.

📖 Read now and upgrade for full access via links in bio


🔎 Grief Goes Beyond Loss

Grief isn’t just about death—it’s about change, lost dreams, relationships that never were, and even parts of ourselves we’ve had to leave behind. This month, we’re diving deep into what grief really looks like and how we move through it.

💬 Read the first installment for free and join our paid membership for access to the full series—supporting mental health, self-improvement, and community for less than a fancy coffee a month. ☕

📖 Read now: https://www.thecompanion.app/companion-newsletter-5-what-do-we-grieve/

Upgrade to the full journey for less than a fancy coffee a month: https://www.thecompanion.app/ #/portal/signup

📺 The X-Files & the Power of Nostalgia 📺

Self-care isn’t just about routines and boundaries—it’s also about comfort media. That one show or movie you return to, over and over, because it feels like home.

In our latest video essay, writer Molly Flatt dives into the emotional weight of The X-Files, unpacking a box of old memorabilia and uncovering the deep connection between fandom, memory, and identity.

💡 Need a reason to go full Goblin Mode with your comfort show? This is it.

💙 Want access to our full self-care series, exclusive digital & physical goodies, and private virtual events? Get it all for less than a fancy coffee a month.

🔗 Join us today: https://www.thecompanion.app/ #/portal/signup



https://youtu.be/Vw7i-2lefHY?si=eD92bNfExVzdkdpA

The X-Files | A Box of Memories Ripped Out My Guts Whilst clearing out the attic, novelist Molly Flatt chances upon a box of X-Files memorabilia that transports her back in time.Read the original article here...

🛠️ It’s Time to Build Your Self-Care Routine 🛠️

Over the past three weeks, we’ve explored self-care, hobbies, and boundaries—now, it’s time to put it all together into a sustainable routine. ✨

✔️ Start small—change happens step by step.
✔️ Use the 4 self-care zones: physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual.
✔️ Go full Goblin Mode when you need to—comfort media is self-care too.

Need more tools? Amanda Tapping swears by lists. Teryl Rothery has a grounding exercise for you. And we’ve got journal prompts to guide your journey.

💡 Get full access to our newsletter series, exclusive physical & digital goodies, and invitations to private virtual events—all for less than a fancy coffee a month. ☕✨

🔗 Sign up here: https://www.thecompanion.app/ #/portal/signup