Zines are publications that you make yourself, and copy on a photocopier. They have existed for decades, and they have a history of being political, subversive, fun, artful, and most of all: raw. The Trauma Castle zine, below, is a perfect example of why I am including zine making as a part of the services I offer. Consider the subject matter, which shows how an individual struggles with systems, relationships, and personal healing. Zines offer a chance to be creative and honest in a way that doesn’t exist in any other medium. And, people use them for community organizing. For example, this zine could be used to help raise awareness about problems with the mental health system:
Order the Trauma Castle Zine here
Those new to the world of zines should also take note of the zine’s “distro,” Femme Crimes Distro. The word “distro” is short for “distributor.” A distro is like a record label, or a book store, or maybe like a publisher, only in the zine world, most of the zines are made by independent entities. It is a lot like curation. So if you like this zine, you’d be keen to follow Femme Crimes on facebook. For more distros, check out the list at Broken Pencil.
Meanwhile, if you are interested in learning more about zines, I am available to teach classes! If I am not currently offering a class, contact me to let me know you are interested, and follow Voices Counseling on Facebook so you can get announcements.