Emotional Support Animals: Anonymous Fuzzball Comics + Workbook

by Cassy Lee

Nicole Georges has created a powerful piece of graphic medicine under the guise of a cute little animal self-help gift book. While it does indeed feature adorable animals in cardigans offering nuggets of wisdom Georges herself gleaned over years of therapy (see Fig. 1 p. 10-11 below), it also invites the reader to actively participate in their own healing by engaging in the worksheets and practices she created for herself to get through tough times (see an example in Fig. 2 below).

Fig. 1, pages 10 – 11, Emotional Support Animals

No stranger to tough times, as explored in her previous autobio graphic memoirs Fetch: How a Bad Dog Brought Me Home (about the challenges of raising a rescue dog but also of her own challenging coming of age journey) and Calling Doctor Laura (about confronting family secrets), Georges this time shares the tools that helped her through, and that she has since shared with others in self-care comics workshops and grief support groups. They are gathered here in this lovely book in ten sections covering topics like Self Love, Self Worth, Boundaries, Grief, Gratitude, Fear and Anxiety, and Jealousy. A section I found particularly resonant coming from a similarly challenging family was one about preparing for family visits during the holidays. Another I think most everyone would resonate with right now is entitled “Maintaining Balance, Perspective & Stamina to Help the World” and includes exercises when you are overwhelmed by this political moment to help focus on what you can actually control and actions you can offer from a place of calm.

Fig. 2, pages 30 – 31, Emotional Support Animals, Self Love, Self Worth exercises

This book arrived just in time for me to take on an artist residency in which I would be digging up some tough family memories as I worked on my own graphic memoir. As Nicole suggests in the user guide for the book (p. 6 – 7), I began each day by setting a timer for 20 minutes and doing an exercise from the book. The first day of the residency happened to be Mother’s Day and I was missing my mom who passed away nearly 18 years ago. I did an exercise from the grief section (p. 78 – 80), in which you draw someone you miss and have a conversation with them. It ended up being hugely cathartic and made me feel closer to my mom in a way I haven’t in a very long time. George’s gentle drawings and cast of compassionate critters helps you feel safe and held as you do some deceptively deep work and practice supporting yourself. Beginning my day that way each morning of the residency, helped me open up and get my thoughts and worries out on the page so I could get to work from a place of grounded calm, focusing on what I could control and letting the rest go. The only thing I wish the book had was a table of contents with page numbers to find certain exercises, but I can let that go, too (actually I couldn’t, so I wrote one in myself. Like the panda on p. 98 says “I do have choices, even around things I can’t control.” Ha!).

Beautifully packaged in a flexbound paperback with a teal ribbon like a journal, it does make an inspiring gift for anyone who could use a little support (can’t we all?). Humor abounds in the adorable illustrations of the animals in their “clothing optional” support group meetings, and best of all, there are two pages of stickers at the end so you can spread the love. Who doesn’t need a little poodle in dark-rimmed glasses reminding you that you are enough, or an adorable blue sloth encouraging you to hang in there (see Fig. 3 from p. 161 below)?

Fig., 3, page 161, Emotional Support Animals, Sticker

Contributor Bio:

Cassy Lee, a recent grad of the CCA MFA Comics program, also focuses on the power of zines and comics as a process for healing and connection in her work as a comics artist, librarian, and teacher. She is currently working on a graphic novel called Beyond the Fences about breaking a cycle of transgenerational trauma in her own family. You can find more of her work at cassylee.com or on IG @readfreedrawfree.