2021 was a year of many ups and downs.

The world saw a lot of events that challenged our mental health. But it also saw a lot of events which made us believe in the goodness of humanity. As we close out the year, I’ve been thinking about all the zines that have supported readers this year, and these are some that really stand out as being life-changing for me.

This post shares our bestselling mental health zines from 2021 that have been able to support community on the topic of mental health whether it's a zine, workbook, or comic sharing lived experiences of another.

These zines have been inspirational as companion tools for mental health. I hear many people talking about how helpful they've been with their personal challenges and I feel this very strongly myself.

 

 

Unf*ck Your Brain Workbook

by Dr Faith Harper

The first of many mental health zines by Dr. Faith Harper is on our list!
Dr. Harper is a licensed professional counselor, who has been in the field for over 20 years. She has authored many zines as part of the 5-minute therapy series. The Unfu*k Your Brain workbook, provides step-by-step exercises to help you to understand and manage your mental health in a way that feels right for you.

 

50 Journal Prompts for Self-Discovery

by Kim Rounsefell

Keeping a journal can be a great way to keep track of your thoughts and feelings through the day. It can also be a way for you to reflect on your life. However, journaling can sometimes feel like too much work. That’s why I compiled this list of 50 prompts that you can use as inspiration to jumpstart your personal journaling process. This fold out resource can accompany your journal to pick a random topic when you have 5-10 minutes to reflect and learn a little more about your own wants and needs. That way you never run out of journaling ideas.

 

Unf*ck Your Anger Workbook

by Dr Faith Harper

Another of Dr Faiths excellent workbooks. Unf*ck your Anger is a self-help guide filled with exersises, and worksheets to help you understand and work through anger by  building an anger narrative, identifying your triggers, and where you get stuck, using skills like meditation, communication, and breathing.

 

Out of the Fog: PTSD, CPTSD, Acute Stress Disorder, Depression, Codependency, A Radical Guide

by Jenn Autry

Comic-zines are one of my favorite formats for communicating about mental health. Out of the Fog does this so nicely where throughout the zine an older person is talking with their younger self about codependency, PTSD, and CPTSD. I feel like it makes it much easier to grasp. The illustrations that accompany this comic-zine are just great, its clear to see how it was on our bestseller list this year.   

 

Anxiety is Really Strange

by Steve Haines

The way that Steve articulates the physiology in all of the Really Strange series is brilliant. I love how It helps to really demystify it. Anxiety can be such a scary feeling and just to be able to understand it a little more can make all the difference. Anxiety is Really Strange helps to break down how anxiety feels, why we get it, and what we can do to deal with it through vivid illustrations and comics.

 

Mettanoia: Mental Health & Self Care Strategies (Volume 1)  

by Shea Pederson 

One of my favourite personal zines! Shea shares a series of vignettes on personal experiences, tips, poetic reflections, and mental health strategies to help you heal in sadness and challenging times. Reading the Mettanoia series has really highlighted to me how healing taking time to reflect, journal, and write about your experience in a without judgement way can be. I'm always inspired to crack open my journal after reading this zine.