A game worth sharing; a community worth building.

I fell in love with American Mahjong the way most people do — sitting around a table with people I adored, hearing the shuffle of tiles, and community celebration when someone yelled Mahjong, completely mystified and completely hooked...to the point I dreamt about it that night and woke eager to play again. I found a game that brought generations of the family together at the table, laughing, and connecting with no technology for hours. Daily play became a thing to unwind from my day, connecting with my family and my own inner child's love of play.

What started as a personal obsession quickly became a calling. I found that teaching the game — watching someone's eyes light up when they call their first Mahjong — brought me just as much joy as playing it myself. Next thing I knew, I was teaching my son's friends, co-workers, and others.  As a trained trauma therapist, I found the play of Mahjong to stimulate conversation skills at the table, social connection, and nervous system regulation. I found the game to provide neuron stimulation of memory, pattern recognition, and decision making, while engaging in mental stimulation and regulation.

I founded Buttercup Mahj to create space for community, while sharing the joy and happiness the game brings to me and my family. One thing I often hear in the therapy room is the struggle for adults to find space to socialize and connect with others, especially when new to the area and I have found that mahjong is a game that can generate that social connection. No technology, no distractions, just the game and a space to connect socially.  Whether you're a complete beginner, a parent hoping to share the game with your kids, or a seasoned player looking for your people — there's a seat at this table for you.