Welcome to Volume 18, Issue 1 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: “Whys and What Ifs: Writing and Anxiety Reduction in Individuals Bereaved by Addiction,” “School-Based Sandtray Counseling on a Shoe String,” “Integrative Developmental Model for Narrative Supervision,” “Strengthening the Therapeutic Bond Through Therapist Art Making with Clients,” “Creatively Increasing Empathy: The Impacts of an Online Empathy Workshop,” “Transformation Hidden in the Sand; a Pluralistic Theoretical Framework Using a Sand-Tray Intervention with Adult Clients.” Creating space for connection: Creativity in the classroom: “Preparing for Strong Therapeutic Relationships: Creativity in Addictions Counselor Education,” “Teaching Counseling Research and Program Evaluation through Problem-Based Service Learning,” “Cultural Exposure as a Creative Experiential Learning Intervention.” Creating space for connection: Creativity in the cinema: “Film Review: Qualitative Analysis of Meaningful Male Relational Images in Falling Down.” It is my hope that you find this issue enlightening and helpful to your work.