Thank You, Gemma Correll

A Reflection on Gemma's Graphic Memoir Anxietyland

photo credit: Tiny Deer Studio

I just finished Gemma Correll’s graphic memoir, Anxietyland, and I can’t stop crying. Not the sad kind. The release kind.

What she went through, and the courage it takes to share it so openly in hopes of helping others, is truly admirable.

I see myself in her in so many ways. Even down to wanting to study art, but wondering if she could make a living with it. I’ve never had agoraphobia, and while I’ve dissociated more times than I can count, there was only one time it was severe enough that I fully floated outside myself (after losing my father). But the debilitating anxiety and depression? I’ve lived with that my whole life. I know that feeling of something being wrong with me, like I’m the only one going through it.

Reading her memoir, I also discovered that she’s a highly sensitive person, just like me. We feel everything so intensely. It’s a lot.

I’ve been in and out of therapy for 30 years, and I’m finally making real progress through somatic experiencing. Talk therapy made sense intellectually, but I wasn’t getting very far because I was only working with my mind, not my body. Part of that work is learning to go back to my younger self and let her know she’s okay, that she’s safe, and that my adult self can take over now. More on that soon.

I love that Gemma has found a way to channel her experience into something that supports others. And I love that the world has taken notice.

Thank you, Gemma, for sharing yourself so openly and with such wit and candor. You are making a difference in so many lives.

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If any of this resonates, grab a copy of Anxietyland here.
And if you've ever read something that made you feel less alone,
I’d love to hear about it. Feel free to share in the comments or message me. ✨

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