Welcome to Volume 11, Issue 2 of the Journal of Creativity in Mental Health (JCMH). JCMH is the official journal for the Association for Creativity in Counseling (ACC). This journal is designed to bring to our readership cutting-edge scholarship that promotes growth-fostering relationships and enhances relational development within a diverse society. ACC was established for professionals and students interested in creative and complementary approaches to counseling practice and counselor education.
Authors represent the diverse mental health disciplines of counseling, psychology, expressive therapies, psychiatry, and social work. JCMH is particularly interested in receiving submissions that discuss creative ways to facilitate growth-fostering connections and relational development. JCMH also encourages further understanding of diversity in professional practice. These interventions may include music, literature, theatre, drama, art, dance, energy psychologies, and other complementary and alternative therapies.
The following articles are included in this issue, offering a wide variety of innovative topics: “Convergence of Identities Through the Lens of Relational-Cultural Theory,” “The Therapeutic Value of Asemic Writing: A Qualitative Exploration,” and “Comedic Improv Therapy for the Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder.”
The Creating Space for Connection: A Column for Creative Practice column features an activity for clinical practice: “A Narrative Approach to Process Group Work With Counselors-in-Training,” “Rural Telemental Health and Adolescents: Try a Little Shakespeare,” and “Creating Relationship Trees With Grieving Clients: An Experiential Approach to Grief Counseling.” The Creating Space for Connection: Creativity in the Classroom column features “Mindfulness Infusion Through CACREP Standards” and “Transformational Learning Theory and Transformative Teaching: A Creative Strategy for Understanding the Helping Relationship.” It is my hope that you find this issue enlightening and helpful to your work.
This year, my ACA Presidential Initiative involves an anti-bullying and interpersonal violence campaign designed to promote human dignity and empowerment. In response to this initiative, issue 11-3 of The JCMH, published in September, 2016, will be a special issue on Anti-Bullying and Interpersonal Violence. Part of this initiative involves raising awareness, collecting resources and interventions, conducting research, and educating others on this subject. Counselors can make a powerful impact on the lives of people who experience mistreatment. Our collective voices can also be a force in advocating for human dignity, respect, and empowerment for all individuals.