The Morning Journal (Lorain, OH)
A hero’s journey
A psychologist aims to make self-help accessible through the pages of comics
Harry Potter. Batman. X-Men. Pop culture is loaded with stories about characters who experienced life-altering events and not only persevered but thrived. In fact, it was the X-Men stories that helped author Janina Scarlet understand her own trauma.
Born in Ukraine, Scarlet survived the Chernobyl disaster before coming to the U.S. with her family as a refugee. She’s also a survivor of sexual assault.
“I wanted to be able to help other individuals in the same way,” says Scarlet, who is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in treating people with post-traumatic stress disorder, during a recent call. “I decided to dedicate my life to helping folks understand their own trauma through the lens of fiction.”
“Dark Agents: Violet and the Trial of Trauma,” published in March, is the first book in the “Dark Agents” graphic novel series from illustrator Vince Alvendia and San Diego-based writer Scarlet, who also describes herself as a “geek” on her website.
Combining elements of Greek mythology and contemporary superhero sagas, the book uses narrative to guide readers through self-help tactics for managing PTSD. The story concerns Marina Kotova, who as a child witnessed the murder of her parents. Now going by the name of Violet Hazel, the 19-year-old is training to become a Dark Agent, but she must learn how to cope with her past so she can become a hero in the future.
“I learned over many years that people have a really difficult time talking about trauma,” Scarlet says. “They have a hard time naming their emotions, what they have experienced, but they have an easier time understanding their experiences if they’re able to use some kind of a pop culture metaphor.”
As a psychologist, Scarlet uses fiction to help people understand their own reality. “I’m incorporating pop culture into therapy not only to help people find the language to express what they’re going through, but to help them understand that they’re not alone,” she says.
Moreover, Scarlet adds, pop culture helps people “learn that their trauma is just their origin story, but the rest of their experience, the rest of their hero’s journey is up to them.”
Scarlet is the author of multiple books including “Superhero Therapy: A Hero’s Journey Through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy” and “SuperWomen: Superhero Therapy for Women Battling Depression, Anxiety and Trauma.” The concept for “Dark Agents” came to her about a decade ago.
“In addition to learning how to protect the world from supernatural forces, these students would also have to learn how to face their own internal monsters, which is anxiety, depression and PTSD,” she says. “That would all be part of their training.”
It’s a project rooted as much in the comic book world as it is in psychology. Scarlet and Alvendia connected through mutual contacts when Scarlet was looking for someone to draw a comic book about pain management. The interview for that gig happened inside San Diego Comic-Con’s notoriously crowded exhibit hall. Both were in cosplay. Since then, they’ve worked on multiple projects together.
“I specifically like the challenge of it because it’s very character and emotionally driven,” says Alvendia of working on “Dark Agents.”
“The emotions and experiences that the characters are going through, for me, take precedence over the action, most of the time.”
In “Violet and the Trial of Trauma,” the young heroes learn about mindfulness. “There will be many times when you’ll be in danger. Other times when you might feel anxious or
scared even when you’re not in physical danger. Being able to tell the difference can save your life and make you a better agent,” the students are taught. It’s a good lesson for fictional characters who may go into battle with supernatural forces, but also one that’s useful in real life.
“Mindfulness has become an evidence-based tool, Scarlet says.
Throughout the series, the books will focus on a different character and a
different experience with the goal of helping readers better understand themselves as well as other people in their lives.
“My idea here is to make this fictional world be like a mirror for people’s real-life struggles to help folks realize how they can help themselves,” she says, “and also to create a sense of empathy for people who might not know what it’s like to go through trauma, but who maybe have a friend who has gone through it.”