Welcome to Volume 15, Issue 4 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 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, theater, 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: “Behavioral and Creative Psychotherapeutic Interventions With A 6-year-old boy Diagnosed With Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and Comorbid Pediatric Trichotillomania (TTM),” “Impact of Animal Assisted Therapy on Anxiety Levels Among Mentally Ill Female Inmates,” “Counselors’-in-Training Perceptions of Using Music for Theoretical Conceptualization Training,” “Using Rap Music to Better Understand African American Experiences,” and “Introducing Mind Mapping as a Creative Counseling Modality.” The Creating Space for Connection: Creative Interventions in Counseling column features activities for clinical practice: “Grief Snow Globe: A Creative Approach to Restorying Grief and Loss Through Narrative Therapy.” The Creating Space for Connection: Creativity in the Classroom column features: “Creative Pedagogy: Infusing the Ways Paradigm in a Foundational Course,” “Applying Feminist Pedagogy to Teaching Counselor Advocacy,” “Service Learning to Foster Advocacy Training in CACREP Accredited Programs,” and “Using Moonlight to Explore Intersectionality in Counselor Education.” It is my hope that you find this issue enlightening and helpful to your work.