LibGuides: Graphic Medicine: Trauma

What is trauma?

What is Trauma?

Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event like an accident, rape, or natural disaster. Immediately after the event, shock and denial are typical. Longer term reactions include unpredictable emotions, flashbacks, strained relationships, and even physical symptoms like headaches or nausea.

While these feelings are normal, some people have difficulty moving on with their lives. Psychologists can help them find constructive ways of managing their emotions. ~ American Psychology Association

Local Resources for Trauma

Trauma Resilience Training is offered by the American World Community Center in Louisville, KY.

Graphic Novels about War Trauma

Algériennes by Swann Meralli; Deloupy; Ivanka Hahnenberger (Translator)
Call Number: PN6747.M47 A4413 2020
ISBN: 9780271086231
Publication Date: 2020-09-15
"A graphic novel depicting the stories of women who fought with the National Liberation Front in the Algerian War of Independence"-- Provided by publisher
Escaping Wars and Waves by Olivier Kugler
Call Number: HV640.5 .S97 2018
ISBN: 9780271082240
Publication Date: 2018-09-04
"Documents in graphic novel format the experiences of Syrian refugees housed in camps in Iraqi Kurdistan, Greece, France, Germany, Switzerland, and England. Based on interviews and photographs by the author during his work as Communication Officer for the organization Doctors Without Borders"--Provided by publisher
Threads by Kate Evans
Call Number: JV7925 .E98 2017
ISBN: 9781786631732
Publication Date: 2017-06-20
"Evans draws the faces of refugees coming from Syria, Africa, and elsewhere to *The Jungle,* a makeshift refugee camp in Calais, France, and in doing so she captures the refugees' full humanity, intelligence, and suffering as they search for family, home, and dignity. Accompanying the story of Evan's time spent among the refugees--the insights acquired and the lives recounted--is the counterpoint of prejudice and scapegoating arising from the political right." --From publisher description
Waltz with Bashir by Ari Folman; David Polonsky
Call Number: PN6728.F6513 W3 2008
ISBN: 9780805086737
Publication Date: 2009-02-17
"In Beirut in September 1982, while Israeli soldiers secured the area, a Christian militia entered the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila and massacred hundreds, if not thousands, of Palestinians. Ari Folman was one of those Israeli soldiers, but for more than twenty years he remembered nothing of that night. Then came a friend's disturbing dream and with it Folman's need to excavate the truth of the war in Lebanon and answer the crucial question: What was he doing during the hours of slaughter at Sabra and Shatila? Stunningly original in form, Waltz with Bashir follows Folman's journey deep into the darkness of Beirut. Drawing on the stories of other soldiers and his own returning fragments of memory, Folman painfully and candidly pieces together the war and his place in it: the senselessness of the soldiers' orders; the fear that pervades every moment; the casual bloodshed of civilians, culminating in the massacres themselves" (IUCAT)
They Called Us Enemy by George Takei; Justin Eisinger; Steven Scott; Harmony Becker (Illustrator)
Call Number: D769.8.A6 T347 2019
ISBN: 9781603094504
Publication Date: 2019-07-16
"In a stunning graphic memoir, actor/ author/ activist George Takei revisits his haunting childhood in American concentration camps, as one of the 120,000 Japanese Americans imprisoned by the U.S. government during World War II. Experience the forces that shaped an American icon- and America itself- in this gripping tale of courage, country, loyalty, and love." (provided by author)
The Complete Maus by Art Spiegelman
Call Number: DS135.P63 S68 1997
ISBN: 0679406417
Publication Date: 1996-11-19
"A brutally moving work of art—widely hailed as the greatest graphic novel ever written—Maus recounts the chilling experiences of the author’s father during the Holocaust, with Jews drawn as wide-eyed mice and Nazis as menacing cats.

Maus is a haunting tale within a tale, weaving the author’s account of his tortured relationship with his aging father into an astonishing retelling of one of history's most unspeakable tragedies. It is an unforgettable story of survival and a disarming look at the legacy of trauma." (amazon)
Berlin by Jason Lutes
Call Number: PN6727.L87 B47 2018
ISBN: 9781770463264
Publication Date: 2018-09-04
"Berlin is an intricate look at the fall of the Weimar Republic through the eyes of its citizens―Marthe Müller, a young woman escaping the memory of a brother killed in World War I, Kurt Severing, an idealistic journalist losing faith in the printed word as fascism and extremism take hold; the Brauns, a family torn apart by poverty and politics. Lutes weaves these characters’ lives into the larger fabric of a city slowly ripping apart."(amazon)
Corpse on the Imjin! and Other Stories by Harvey Kurtzman (Artist); Gary Groth (Series edited by); Jack Davis (Artist); Alex Toth (Artist); Wallace Wood (Artist)
Call Number: PN6727.K87 A6 2012
ISBN: 9781606995457
Publication Date: 2012-11-15
"A collection of Harvey Kurtzman's war comics that were originally published in "Two-fisted Tales" and "Frontline Combat" in the early 1950s." (worldcat)
Last Day in Vietnam (2nd Edition) by Will Eisner (Illustrator)
Call Number: PN6727.E4 L43 2013
ISBN: 9781616551209
Publication Date: 2013-03-19
"Last day in Vietnam is Will Eisner's memoir of his years in the military, six stories garnered from observations of camp life at close range, of soldiers who were engaged not only in the daily hostilities of war but also in larger, more personal combat." (IUCAT)
Anne Frank's Diary: the Graphic Adaptation by Anne Frank (Text by); David Polonsky (Illustrator); Ari Folman (Adapted by)
Call Number: DS135.N6 F731865 2018
ISBN: 9781101871799
Publication Date: 2018-10-02
"The only graphic biography of Anne Frank's diary that has been authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation and that uses text from the diary--it will introduce a new generation of young readers to this classic of Holocaust literature. This adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl into a graphic version for a young readership, maintains the integrity and power of the original work. With stunning, expressive illustrations and ample direct quotation from the diary, this edition will expand the readership for this important and lasting work of history and literature"-- Provided by publisher.
A Good and Decent Man by C. Tyler
Call Number: PN6728.Y68 T95 2009
ISBN: 9781606991442
Publication Date: 2009-06-23
"A graphic memoir of the author’s relationship with her World War II veteran father, and how his war experience shaped her childhood and affected her relationships in adulthood, stunningly rendered in detailed inks and subtle watercolors." (amazon)

Graphic Novels about PTSD

Ptsd by Guillaume Singelin
Call Number: PN6747.S57 P87 2019
ISBN: 9781626723184
Publication Date: 2019-02-26
"After returning home from an unpopular war, Jun becomes an outsider in an indifferent world. Alone, desperate, and suffering from wounds both mental and physical, she seeks relief in the illicit drugs she manages to purchase or steal. Jun's tough exterior served her well in combat, but she'll need to nurture her vulnerability and humanity to survive at home. With the support of her fellow vets, the kindness of a stranger who refuses to turn away, and the companionship of a dog named Red, Jun learns to navigate the psychological trauma that she experienced in the war."--Publisher website

Graphic Novels about Trauma

Trauma Is Really Strange by Steve Haines; Sophie Standing (Illustrator)
Call Number: RC552.P67 H33 2016
ISBN: 9781848192935
Publication Date: 2015-12-21
"This unique comic explains the strange nature of trauma and how it confuses the brain and affects the body. With wonderful artwork, cat and mouse metaphors, essential scientific facts, and a healthy dose of wit, the narrator reveals how trauma resolution involves changing the body's physiology and describes techniques that can achieve this, including Trauma Releasing Exercises that allow the body to shake away tension, safely releasing deep muscular patterns of stress and trauma" (worldcat)
Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too by Jomny Sun
Call Number: PN6727.S865 E94 2017
ISBN: 9780062569028
Publication Date: 2017-06-27
"Everyone's a aliebn when ur a aliebn too is the story of a lonely alien sent to observe Earth, only to meet all sorts of creatures with all sorts of perspectives on life, love, and happiness, all while learning to feel a little better about being an alien--based on the enormously popular Twitter account, @jonnysun. Here is the unforgettable story of Jomny, a lonely alien who, for the first time ever, finds a home on our planet after learning that earthlings can feel lonely too. Jomny finds friendship in a bear tired of other creatures running away in fear, an egg struggling to decide what to hatch into, an owl working its way to being wise, a tree feeling stuck in one place, a tadpole coming to terms with turning into a frog, a dying ghost, a puppy unable to express itself, and many more." (worldcat)

Graphic Novels about Immigration and Refugee Trauma

The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui
Call Number: E184.V53 B85 2017
ISBN: 9781419718779
Publication Date: 2017-03-07
The author describes her experiences as a young Vietnamese immigrant, highlighting her family's move from their war-torn home to the United States in graphic novel format. "Exploring the anguish of immigration and the lasting effects that displacement has on a child and her family, Bui documents the story of her family's daring escape after the fall of South Vietnam in the 1970s, and the difficulties they faced building new lives for themselves"--Publisher description.
The Unwanted by Don Brown (Illustrator)
Call Number: DS98.6 .B76 2018
ISBN: 9781328810151
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
"Starting in 2011, refugees flood out of war-torn Syria in Exodus-like proportions. The surprising flood of victims overwhelms neighboring countries, and chaos follows. Resentment in host nations heightens as disruption and the cost of aid grows. By 2017, many want to turn their backs on the victims. The refugees are the unwanted. Don Brown depicts moments of both heartbreaking horror and hope in the ongoing Syrian refugee crisis. Shining a light on the stories of the survivors, The Unwanted is a testament to the courage and resilience of the refugees and a call to action for all those who read." (IUCAT)
Habibi by Craig Thompson
Call Number: PN6727.T48 H33 2011
ISBN: 9780375424144
Publication Date: 2011-09-20
"Sprawling across an epic landscape of deserts, harems, and modern industrial clutter, Habibi tells the tale of Dodola and Zam, refugee child slaves bound to each other by chance, by circumstance, and by the love that grows between them. We follow them as their lives unfold together and apart; as they struggle to make a place for themselves in a world (not unlike our own) fueled by fear, lust, and greed; and as they discover the extraordinary depth-- and frailty-- of their connection. At once contemporary and timeless, Habibi gives us a love story of astounding resonance: a parable about our relationship to the natural world, the cultural divide between the first and third worlds, the common heritage of Christianity and Islam, and, most potently, the magic of storytelling" -- dust jacket wrap.

Resources for Mental Health

IU Southeast CAPS

(Counseling and Psychological Services)

Our services are available to all students (part or full time) at no fee.

Our counselors are all professionally trained and have specific skills related to work with college students. The Director of Counseling and Psychological Services holds a doctoral degree in clinical psychology and is licensed by the state of Indiana as a Health Services Provider. The Counselor/Care Manager is a licensed clinical social worker who provides both mental health counseling and referrals for resource assistance, e.g., food, housing, health care, etc. Our staff also includes master level and doctoral level graduate students from local universities.
Make an appointment

Students may schedule virtual visits with a counselor by calling 812-941-2244 or emailing sepersco@ius.edu.

For students in a mental health crisis, please contact IU Southeast Police Department at 812-941-2400 or the Regional Crisis and Information Line (24 Hours) at 800-221-0446.