Editor's Note

snowy path, oil pastels on grey paper, 2023

Sarah Gysin, MA, RP
Ottawa, ON

The snowfall has been heavy this year, and although the winter wind has not been as biting, I am noticing how the rare moments of sunshine this season are met with eager and open arms. As blankets of snow, sleet, and slush still cover my city, I’ve turned to art-making as a way of clearing my head and engaging with the slow, creative, and playful side of my practice as we wait for spring to arrive.

In this issue of Envisage, our dear contributors have shared their ways of engaging with creation, play, and process-oriented work that provide insight, repair, and connection. This issue features articles that discuss the responsibility we share as art therapists in decolonizing our practices, investing in our personal exploration and growth through art-making and supervision, and how to navigate challenges and ruptures in our relationships with clients. Further along in this issue, you’ll find a rich gallery of artwork exploring the changing of seasons, grief, growth, and what it means to set intentions for the year as it unfolds. Throughout this issue, our contributors share the value that engaging in personal reflection and individual art practices have in illuminating new ways of understanding and processing experiences, both personal and professional.

We were also very fortunate to share space for this issue with art therapist and psychotherapist, Stephanie Wu. They share insight about their community work and private practice, their relationship with process-oriented art-making, and their experiences with supporting marginalised folks to find spaces to explore themselves and connect with community through group therapy.

As always, I am so excited to share this issue with you. It is one that truly highlights the many ways taking space for reflection is vital in our roles as art therapists. This magazine brings together so many valuable voices in our community, and I am incredibly grateful for all of you who share and take part in this magazine, whether as contributors or readers! If you are a practicing art therapist or student and you are interested in contributing your work for the next issue in Spring 2023, please check out our submission guidelines here.