The JMHC: Alive and Well and Moving Forward

Abstract

I am very honored and excited to be taking over as editor of the Journal of Mental Health Counseling (JMHC). I am especially pleased to be following in the footsteps of Dr. Carole Pistole whose stewardship of the journal over the past three years has been exemplary. I owe Carole a special note of thanks for allowing me to serve the journal as associate editor for research during her term and for her continued support during the transition from her editorship to mine. I am also aware that the current status of the journal is a function of the dedication and hard work of all of the previous editors and their editorial boards and want to recognize that work. Specifically to my development, I take this opportunity to acknowledge the influence of two of JMHC's previous editors to my career: Dr. Earl Ginter (1993) and Dr. Kevin Kelly (1996). Drs. Ginter and Kelly have been instrumental in my development as a researcher and scholar over the years and I continue to consider them among my most valued colleagues. ALIVE AND WELL From my view, this is a very exciting time to take the editorship position of the JMHC. The journal is an integral component of the American Association of Mental Health Counseling (AMHCA) and has been gaining in respect and impact in the professional literature in the social behavioral sciences over the years. Clearly, the professional status of the JMHC is a function of the support of the association, contributing authors, the readership, members of the editorial board, and the editorial support staff. Under the previous editors beginning with Dr. Weikel (1979), the JMHC has consistently grown and moved forward exposing AMHCA members and the broader readership of mental health counselors to relevant and often very progressive articles related to theory, practice, professional issues, and research. This progression and forward movement has been bolstered under the editorship of Dr. M. Carole Pistole and it is clearly my intent to continue the journal's legacy throughout my tenure as editor. Dr. Pistole's (2002) editorial written as she assumed the editorship of JMHC reflects my intent to maintain the focus of the journal on publishing high quality, relevant, and well written articles while taking a developmental approach when needed in nurturing manuscripts and developing scholars along the way. To this end, I am very excited to be working with the members of the Editorial Board and my Associate Editors Alex S. Hall (theory), Bernard S. Jesiolowski (practice), and Loreto R. Prieto (research). Together, we will continue to keep the JMHC alive and well, responsive to AMHCA and the readership, and moving forward. MOVING FORWARD In moving forward, I would like to highlight the editorials of the incoming associate editors. Dr. Alex S. Hall, associate editor for theory is continuing in that position for a second term. Her 2002 editorial focused on empowering the less visible groups and individuals in our society to make their voices heard (Hall, 2002). This included a special mention of youth in our society and the emerging social circumstances that impact their behavioral and emotional development. As with all of the associate editors, Dr. Hall's call for the integration of practice and theory relevant to the work of mental health counselors is as relevant in 2005 as it was then. As associate editor for practice, Dr. Bernard S. Jesiolowski (this issue) has identified the importance of the consideration of context for practice related manuscripts. While he begins his editorial from a very broad contextual perspective, he quickly moves to a concrete discussion of the importance of the multiple contexts most relevant to mental health counselors, the social, political, economic, and professional contexts. These contexts are related to the practice of mental health counseling whether that practice is as a clinician, educator, researcher, or various combinations of those roles. …