The Index: All the THEM CATS comics so far by T. McCarthy

How to navigate THEM CATS therapeutic comic series by theme, reading order, and healing focus--with LOC subject headings classification for therapeutic comics, mental health art, and visual healing

THEM CATS COMIC INDEX

A Complete Reader's Guide to Visual Liquid's Flagship Therapeutic Comic Series

ESSENTIAL READING ORDER:

🐈 ORIGIN STORIES

• "Box of Darkness" - The O.G. THEM CATS (2021) - Processing grief and loss

• "Introducing THEM CATS" - Why drawing yourself as a cat changes everything

💭 CORE THERAPY SESSIONS

• 🆕 NEW —> "It Never Gets Old" - 38 years of therapy and life keeps coming

• "Still" - Dating sucks less when you love yourself harder

• "Yesterday" - Yesterday doesn’t have to be all bad

• "Marching Into Time" - Where does the time go? Under a couch cushion?

• "Roach Motel" - Childhood poverty, loneliness, and finding friends in unlikely places

🔄 PROCESSING

• "The Therapeutic Bond" - When transference gets complicated (WIP)

🌟 SPECIAL FEATURES

• Pride AF Collection - IFS (Internal Family System), Dating, identity, and healing

• Multilingual Series - THEM CATS speaks healing in 15+ languages

HOW TO USE THIS INDEX:

• New to THEM CATS? Start with "Introducing THEM CATS" then "Still"

• Looking for specific themes? Use the category tags above IN ALL CAPS.

• Want the deep therapeutic content? Go straight to "Roach Motel"

• Curious about the art evolution? Compare "Box of Darkness" (2021) to current strips

ABOUT THE SERIES:

THEM CATS transforms 38 years of Tess’ therapy into visual healing. Created by Tess McCarthy (who signs as T.McCarthy) each paneless strip features imaginary conversations between two nameless, non-binary cats: One representing the creator “Me Cat,” and, one representing the therapist, “Therapist Cat.”

What started as a strange dream in April 2020 has become a revolutionary approach to processing trauma, growth, and the endless cycle of healing through simple, accessible art.

THERAPEUTIC THEMES COVERED:

• Childhood trauma and poverty

• Grief and loss processing

• Dating and relationships

• Career transitions

• Identity and authenticity

• The therapeutic relationship

• Mental health stigma

• Healing as a lifelong journey

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📚 THEM CATS: LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SUBJECT HEADINGS (LCSH)

PRIMARY SUBJECT HEADINGS:

Comic books, strips, etc.--Therapeutic use
Mental health--Comic books, strips, etc.
Art therapy--Comic books, strips, etc.
Psychotherapy--Comic books, strips, etc.
Self-actualization (Psychology)--Comic books, strips, etc.
Autobiographical comic books, strips, etc.--United States
Grief--Comic books, strips, etc.
Trauma, Psychological--Comic books, strips, etc.
Identity (Psychology)--Comic books, strips, etc.

THERAPEUTIC-SPECIFIC HEADINGS:

Bibliotherapy--Comic books, strips, etc.
Healing--Psychological aspects--Comic books, strips, etc.
Therapeutic relationship--Comic books, strips, etc.
Mental illness--Social aspects--Comic books, strips, etc.

DEMOGRAPHIC/GEOGRAPHIC SUBDIVISIONS:

Women--Mental health--Comic books, strips, etc.
Artists--Mental health--United States--Biography
Cartoonists--United States--Biography

FORM/GENRE SUBDIVISIONS:

Comic books, strips, etc.--Women authors
Autobiographical comic books, strips, etc.--21st century
Sequential art--Therapeutic use
Graphic narratives--Psychological aspects

TOPICAL BREAKDOWNS:

Adult children of dysfunctional families--Comic books, strips, etc.
Poverty--Psychological aspects--Comic books, strips, etc.
Dating (Social customs)--Comic books, strips, etc.
Career changes--Psychological aspects--Comic books, strips, etc.

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📮 Posting Schedule

New THEM CATS comics publish every Thursday at 6 AM PST on Visual Liquid Megazine's THEM CATS section (barring a Void Course of the Moon).