The Conversation Game- The Struggle to Fit In

Dr. Michael Brooke, PSYD specializes in helping socially awkward adolescents and adults fit in and make friends. He invented a product called Chime In, the Conversation Game to teach these vital skills. Players learn how to follow the give-and-take of social conversation and have fun in the process. He'll talk about how he developed the game, and whom he hopes to help with it.

Episode Segments:

Heaven Sent and Bent: Dr. Michael Brooke, PSYD Michael Brooke grew up in Montana, cowboy country. For a young boy who wanted to play the piano and video games, this was not welcoming territory. He was bullied as a child and returned the bullying until he figured out he wasn’t making friends this way. He adapted his behavior and decided to take his knowledge to a new level. He left big sky country and headed to “joisy” other wise know as the The Garden State, New Jersey, to pursue his degree in clinical psychology. He had the opportunity to work with a lot of children on the spectrum and recognized that communication needed to be taught differently. It had to be taught in a way that could be repeated and not looked on as a teacher dictated subject. He invented a game called, “Chime In! The Conversation Game”. He now works with adolescents and adults teaching social skills and skills training. Listen as Dr. Brooke introduces his program and tells us what he has learned…
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Chime In Chime In: The Conversation Game is an easy-to-learn, life-changing game for getting anyone who struggles socially on the path to fitting in and making friends. Players learn how to follow the give-and-take of social conversation and have fun in the process.

Guest(s) Appearing on this Episode

Michael Brooke I grew up in the Big Sky Country of Montana. Activities like rafting, camping, and fishing were an important part of my childhood. I also liked some activities that were a little unusual for a Montana boy like gymnastics, piano, and role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons. Sometimes, I got teased for those kinds of “quirky” interests, which I definitely didn’t like. It’s not a fun feeling when you don’t fit in. However, as I grew up, I was also able to learn some skills for making friends and to avoid being teased. Skip ahead a few years… I traveled all the way to New Jersey to learn how to be a clinical psychologist. There I had the opportunity to work with a lot of children and adults who were “on the spectrum.” They taught me that there is no typical person “on the spectrum.” I learned that I liked helping others get better at making and KEEPING friends. I learned how important it is to learn these skills so that you can live on your own, keep a job, get along with your family, and also have a social life. It’s important to “fit in” when you need to, and I like helping people learn how to do that!! On the professional side, I like working with children and adults on the spectrum (age 12 to adult). I provide social skills training and social skills groups. I also love working with parents of children who are on the spectrum. I like to help parents understand what their children need, how their children think, and how to help their children succeed in life. In fact, I like helping children and adults on the spectrum with the same things. Brooke Psychologists