Self Injury

2009 This first collection of glass books went past the often taboo and uncomfortable topic of self injury. Students were surprised as this was their first assignment of the term, and they had only four weeks to research, refine ideas, learn techniques with glass and bookbinding and complete their objects. Common misperceptions are that self injury is an attention seeking, or suicidal behavior, whereas some have found it helpful in dealing with, as Mazelis describes, “overwhelming feelings, psychic stress, flashbacks and triggers, and other repercussions common to trauma survivors.”

“It was almost sobering…poetry speaks louder than the clinical stuff.” -Zachary, student, English