Topics of Interest for Upcoming Issues of Frontiers in Mental Health

We’re looking specifically for prospective authors to write on the topics below.

(1) Biases Against Men/Masculinity in Couples Therapy
What might couples therapy be missing regarding men and masculinity that could improve outcomes? For example, encouraging men to express emotional vulnerability in ways that feel emasculating may lead them to become reactive or end treatment. Many therapy models also ignore the importance of complementary roles that couples may be consciously or unconsciously drawn to. Additionally, male “emotional labor” (such as leadership and protection) is often devalued, ignored, or seen as immoral, despite its significant contributions to relationships and families.

(2) The Importance of Group Therapy for Ideologically Marginalized People
What unique value does group therapy offer for people with stigmatized views? Which populations could benefit the most: conservatives in left-leaning spaces like universities, Zionists in anti-Israel institutions, spouses of men who transition mid-marriage, or men falsely accused of sexual assault? What are the clinical and logistical challenges of launching and sustaining these groups?

(3) Failure to Launch in Young Men: An Overview
Why is this phenomenon particularly affecting young men? What societal and familial factors may be exacerbating the trend? What family-based or individual interventions can therapists use to address this problem?

(4) Anti-White Racial Bullying of Children: What Therapists Need to Know
How prevalent is this issue? What are some compelling case examples? What common psychological experiences emerge from chronic invalidation, dissociation, reaction formation, rage, internalization, and other defense mechanisms? How can therapists support these children/adolescents effectively?

(5) Supporting Patients in a Culture of Censorship
To what extent might self-censorship persist in 2025, and how does it impact mental health? When is self-censorship a reasonable choice, and when is it driven by clinical vulnerabilities? What evidence-based strategies can therapists use to support patients navigating these challenges?

(6) Family Members of People Who Transition Genders
What are the experiences of spouses, siblings, children, and parents when a family member transitions? What unique challenges arise related to political and religious values, as well as interpersonal relationships? How can therapists best support these populations? Case examples from colleagues, private practice, or media reports could help illustrate these dynamics.

(7) Cancelled: Therapy With People Who Have Lost Careers Due to Cancel Culture
What are the various reasons people experience cancellation—ranging from sexual misconduct allegations to controversial jokes, inadvertent comments, or political views? What are common emotional and psychological responses, such as the impulse to apologize even when one believes they did nothing wrong, as well as: isolation, shame, and self-doubt? How might people in this group be driven to react in counterproductive ways, like anger, withdrawal, or substance use? How can therapists help clients navigate practical concerns (career loss, advocacy, loneliness) and emotional responses (depression, anger, anxiety, dissociation)?

(8) Political Conflict Between Parents and Children: How Therapists Can Help
How prevalent is this issue? How can therapists assist by teaching dialectical thinking and communication skills? What family dynamics may be fueling political conflicts, and how can therapists help clients work through them? To what extent is this a driving factor of family conflict or a result of family conflict, and how can therapists address these often-volatile issues constructively?

(9) Gay Men and Lesbians Who Feel at Odds With LGBTQ+ Culture
How do gay men and lesbians with heterodox views experience alienation from their communities? What challenges arise concerning faith, politics, transgenderism, sexual behavior, relationships, and broader values? What do therapists need to know about perspectives that may be overlooked by the political leadership of the “LGBTQ+ community”?

(10) Anti-Christian Bigotry, Bias, and Aggression in 2025
How does the broader culture demonize Christianity in particular, and how does this marginalization impact Christians? From views on sex and gender to interpretations of the Bible and social issues, where do Christians feel pressured to self-censor or “code switch,” even in therapy? What do therapists need to understand to support Christian clients who feel attacked or isolated?

(11) Conservative/Heterodox Minorities
What is it like to be politically conservative or “heterodox” while belonging to a demographic group often associated with liberal politics—such as Muslims, Latinos, immigrants, or Blacks? What unique challenges does this group face, and how can therapists provide effective support?

(12) Queering the Therapeutic Space: Responding to an Ideology
What is the new movement toward “queering” therapy, attempts to “dismantle gender,” or the demonization of “cis-heteronormativity”? How do supporters rationalize this philosophy, and how widespread is it? How might it run counter to patient-centered ideals or be damaging to patients (from couples and individual treatment to inpatient care)? How should the field respond?

(13) Transitioning on the Inpatient Unit
How common is transgender identification among patients with severe mental illnesses such as schizophrenia? What might the affirming care model mistreat patients experiencing delusions, hallucinations, or manic episodes while considering transition?

(14) Pornography and Its Discontents
How might pornography be the “elephant in the room” in both individual and couples therapy? Do therapists adequately explore its impact on clients’ lives? How does pornography influence relationships, well-being, and mental health—whether through exposure to disturbing behavior, addiction, interpersonal withdrawal, or other experiences? What do therapists need to know about this neglected topic?

(15) DEI Discrimination and Its Impact
How do people respond when they have good reason to believe that DEI policies have prevented them from obtaining a job or promotion? What are the psychological and emotional consequences? How can therapists help clients process these experiences, respond productively, and navigate their professional lives amidst a discriminatory climate?

(16) What Causes Censorship Culture?
Often, just one highly visible “cancellation” of an individual for their views can have a broad impact on an institution’s culture. Censorship cultures can also be fostered by vague rules about speech, modeling narrow views in official communications, and more subtle dynamics that thwart dialogue, such as isolating and stigmatizing people who disagree even minimally with established narratives. What beliefs and practices lead cultures or institutions to foster censorship? Are there specific remedies that could reverse this trend in institutions that want to move toward open inquiry, dialectical thinking, and dialogue?

(17) Moving From Victimhood to Agency
How might dominant attitudes among therapists idealize victimhood or lead therapists to guide patients to see themselves as victims, and why might this trend be damaging? Is the dynamic of parent-blaming particularly common and/or problematic? What might some broad social costs of this practice be? What are alternative approaches that foster an internal locus of control, agency, autonomy, and resilience?

(18) Restoring Trust in Mental Health Care
Trust in therapy and the mental health profession broadly has greatly suffered as the field has become more politicized. How can the field repair relationships with people who’ve had bad care or lost confidence in mental health treatment? How can therapists best serve patients who could benefit from therapy but have become increasingly mistrustful?

(19) University Antisemitism in Context
DEI ideologies tend to divide people into unprotected groups (i.e., “privileged oppressors”) and protected groups (often seen as idealized victims). It’s in this context that antisemitism has exploded on college campuses and in other spaces that Jews historically saw as supportive of them. How has this shift impacted Jews in particular (especially after 10/7), and what does it suggest about the most effective responses to campus antisemitism in 2025?

(20) Evidence-Based Interventions for People of Faith
Instead of avoiding religious discussions, how can therapists who are not faith-based counselors integrate a patient’s religious beliefs as a resource for mental health improvement? What are practical strategies for doing so? What are the potential pitfalls, and how can therapists engage with faith-based issues in a way that is attuned, empathetic, and patient-centered?