Editor's Note

Sarah Gysin (MA, RP (Qualifying))
Ottawa, ON

On the night I chose to sit down and write this message, yet another wave of powdery snowfall began to hit the streets outside my window. It seemed unwavering and relentless in its mission to cover the ground.

This winter saw the rise and fall of another kind of wave, as well. Many of us found ourselves in the position of having to burrow inward, toward a place of more solitude than we would have liked, without knowing exactly when we would be able to emerge. Despite the blues of yet another “pandemic winter”, I have witnessed many acts of kindness, connection, support, and solidarity within our community that have also seemed unwavering and relentless in their persistence to cultivate hope and change. 

The language of becoming expresses the possibility of change and growth, and while this is often a term used for the way we speak with our children, I believe it is also a wonderful way to view our own possibility for change and growth as individuals and practitioners. Becoming implies that we can transform; that regardless of how long the path toward change may be, we are upon it already. Continued effort, active work, stepping back, stepping up, unlearning, relearning, uplifting instead of letting down, listening instead of speaking– all these elements are equally significant on the path toward becoming. 

This winter’s issue of Envisage features contributions from many on their own journeys– paths that do not wind in solitude but converge and complement each other along their respective routes.

In this issue, you’ll find the work, stories, reflections, artwork, and poetry of students and practitioners in the field of art therapy and beyond, as they acknowledge the challenges we have faced in the past couple of years. The challenges of the pandemic, the challenge of facing systemic issues of injustice, power, and violence, and the challenge that comes with taking the time to care for oneself among it all. The challenge of withstanding the inevitable cold of winter, the importance of finding warmth where possible, and the knowledge that spring will again come around.

Here is a little piece of artwork I did over the weekend, as I slowly step out of my comfort zone and learn to make art and play with different materials. Oil pastels felt a little different; maybe a little unpredictable at times. Making little marks felt like a safer way for me to build up towards filling the page. As I slowly added more dots of different sizes and colours, I felt myself becoming more comfortable and confident.

I want to thank all of our contributors, as this has been my first time editing Envisage on my own. I am immensely grateful for the opportunity to witness all your submissions and put them together in this way. It has been an incredible experience so far, and I am thankful to be able to share my own path toward becoming with all of you.