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Abstract
Frank and full of gentle humor, Terian Koscik's graphic memoir shares her experiences of living with anxiety, finding the courage to see a therapist, and learning more than she could have imagined.
Even in childhood anxious thoughts would seep into Terian's day. Yet she never thought that getting professional help was for her, simply concluding that her problems weren't "real" problems (a lion hadn't devoured her whole family, for example). But when her anxiety finally became overwhelming, she knew it was time to see a therapist.
To her surprise, Terian learned endless coping techniques through her therapy sessions. She shares how mindfulness strategies helped her observe anxious thoughts without criticizing them, and how "I" statements encouraged her to express feelings more openly in relationships. But perhaps the most important thing she learned was that there really is no "right" way to feel.
The reader gets an evocative expression of how, for those of an anxious disposition, deep distress and loneliness can arise from seemingly mundane exchanges. And while an all-encompassing cure is not on offer, Koscik emphasises there are methods of communication and control that have put her on a path to self-acceptance, and that they might well prove effective for others who are facing similar problems.
Anthony Farthing, Tavistock and Portman Foundation Trust
Graphic Medicine
Terian Koscik has been a reader of comics, a creator of comics, and an anxious person for almost as long as she can remember. Most of her work is autobiographical in nature, and deals with finding humor in feelings of loneliness, anxiety, and depression. She posts her work regularly at http://pineconedoesthings.tumblr.com/. Terian lives in Portland, Oregon with 4 humans and 2 rabbits.