Times of change and transition can be destabilizing and confusing. As you know by now, Dr. Alex Iantaffi, after eleven years of being Editor in Chief has decided to stand down, and Dr. Markie Twist is the new Editor in Chief for the Journal. Here are some of our reflections at this time of transition. We hope these help you to orient to the change in leadership and, as ever, please do not hesitate to let us know how to keep making this International and interdisciplinary Journal better for all of you, clinicians, scholars, researchers and College of Sexual and Relationship Therapists (COSRT) members.
Alex writes:
When I first took on the editing of this Journal, I was rather nervous. I was following the legacy of great scholars and clinicians and I wondered if I would be up to the task. During the eleven years of my tenure as Editor in Chief (EIC), I have been focused on meeting both the needs of COSRT members and increasing the International reputation of the Journal. The Journal was, for example, finally included in Thomson Reuters’ Web of Science, so that it could receive an impact factor. I am proud to know that the impact factor has already more than doubled since its first one. This means that our work is being read and increasingly cited by other scholars. Cross-fertilization is so important in our interdisciplinary field and our Journal is part of this process.
I could not have done any of this work without an incredible International Editorial Board at my side. I am grateful for all the scholars and clinicians I have had the opportunity to work with, both on the Editorial Board, and as International Advisors, peer reviewers and authors. Many of these relationships will last beyond the life of my tenure as EIC, and I look forward to staying in touch with people in the field through conferences and collaborations. One of the things I have decided to focus on, as I move forward, is the dissemination of scholarly ideas through clinical practice, training, public speaking and writing for general audiences. I find it is an essential part of our work to take the important and complex ideas we debate in these fora and take them out into the wider world so that all can benefit from advances in our field.
I am delighted to leave the Journal into the hands of such an amazing colleague as Dr Markie Twist. I am a believer in rotating leadership, which is my main reason for stepping down as EIC, and I also admit that letting go of something that I have nurtured for over a decade is challenging. It does help tremendously to leave the Journal to Markie’s leadership and I applaud COSRT’s choice for the next EIC. I know that she/they will bring renewed vigor to the Editorial Board and continue the legacy of addressing topical and important areas through both ordinary and special issues of the Journal. It has been an honor to serve this Journal for eleven years. During this time not only has the Journal grown, but so have I, my clinical expertise, my scholarship and my family (one of my children was three when I started and has now finished their first year of high school, and I now co-parent another child through partnership). I wish us all well-being, sustainable and appropriate growth and ongoing connection at this time of transition. I do hope you keep enjoying our Journal and finding it useful. Thank you for your contributions as readers, authors, peer reviewers, and editors.
Markie writes:
I am so honoured to be following the legacy of such an amazing EIC for the Journal in Dr. Alex Iantaffi. What Alex has accomplished in his/their time as EIC has been remarkable. I hope to continue to bring high quality articles to you, as well as innovative special issues, and to continue towards the goal of getting the Journal included in Medline.
There will be some members of the Editorial Board embarking on new journeys, and thus new Editors will join. The first is Dr. Ruth Neustifter, of the University of Guelph in Couple and Family Therapy program in Ontario, Canada, who will also be serving as the new Book/Media Review Editor. Ruthie brings with them a depthful awareness and sensitivity to international understandings of sexuality and gender, which will only continue to enhance the Journal’s keen attention to these ever-increasingly important areas of diversity.
Lastly, I am looking forward to future exchanges with members of COSRT both in the role as EIC of the Journal, as well as at annual conferences like the one that just took place in June 2018. While presenting to and meeting with members of COSRT, I was moved to see such interest and inquisitiveness around the topic of technology in the relational and sexual lives of the client systems we work with as clinicians. I have such hope in the expressed interest in moving our field forward in this cutting-edge area, and hope for like interest to be expressed in other topics discussed at future conferences and relatedly in the Journal.
Moving forward, while it is difficult to say goodbye to Alex and the amazing work that he/they have done as EIC over the last decade plus, I am excited to be saying hello in my new role as EIC of the Journal and to our readership, including members of COSRT, as well as our broader International community.
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Markie L. C. [email protected]
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.