I will be attaching a PDF below of the second issue of a new open source journal. The Journal of Open Therapy Institute explores many new mental health topics and sociocultural considerations for the advancement of the clinical field of therapy. There are 14 new articles in Issue 2.
Here is part of the introduction that reviews the contents, “Chloe Carmichael highlights how self-censorship damages mental health. Jaco van Zyl explores the common but almost entirely avoided topic of anti-white racial aggression, and Dean McKay describes the increasing prominence of a new type of anxiety disorder that focuses on the fear of being canceled. Each article offers insights and evidence and highlights areas where more research and more clinical resources are needed.
Several articles deal with couples’ and family issues. Nafees Alam identifies biases against men in couples’ therapy. Camilo Ortiz and Mathew Fastman discuss the myriad costs associated with intensive parenting, while Linda Chamberlain and William McCrown consider how political conflicts impact families.
Other populations that often encounter bias include: police officers (Kristopher Kaliebe), religious patients (Neil Kressel), detransitioners (Stella O’Malley), and various minority group members who have heterodox beliefs (Lawrence Ian Reed). Finally, several articles discuss broader biases in the profession, such as the problem of ignoring biological sex differences (William Sanderson), the importance of socio-political values for the therapeutic alliance (Nina Silander), the misuse of the term “culture” inside and outside the mental health profession (Douglas Novotny), and biases that have become codified in the social work profession (Nafees Alam).
Each of these topics has the potential to grow into a substantial research program or clinical specialty in its own right. These articles are intended to start conversations, not end them. Further research, training, and service improvements are needed on each. Hopefully, these authors’ insights will serve as a catalyst to spark broader research, enhance training, and improve therapeutic services for millions of people.” – Andrew Hartz, PhD & Val Thomas, DPsych
