History of Psychology invites submissions for a special issue on the history of psychotherapy in North and South America. The history of psychotherapy is a topic that cuts across disciplines and cultures. In North America, psychotherapy pre-dates Freud in the faith healing and liberal protestant movements of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Throughout the 20th century and into the 21st century, even as Freud took the limelight, the practice passed through many professions including neuropathology, psychiatry, social work, the ministry and clinical psychology, as well as marriage and family counseling, nursing, and a host of others. Psychotherapy also became the darling of cinema and literature. And yet, psychotherapy has never been a licensed profession. Anyone can hang out a shingle as a «psychotherapist.»

Psychotherapy has thus been both a staple of, and a lens onto, medicine, science and culture for nearly 125 years. How can we make sense of this ubiquitous and yet historically elusive practice? This special issue of HOP opens up the conversation to historians from a broad spectrum of specialties. We welcome contributions on any aspect of the subject in North or South America, but ask contributors to keep within the time-frame of late 19th century (when the term «psychotherapy» originated) to the present.

We are excited to announce that this special issue will be coordinated with a special issue of History of the Human Sciences on the history of psychotherapy in Europe (guest editor Sarah Marks). This simultaneous publication of two special issues on the history of psychotherapy marks the beginning of an international conversation about what psychotherapy is and how its practices have proliferated across time and culture.

The submission deadline is January 1, 2016. The main text of each manuscript, exclusive of figures, tables, references, or appendixes, should not exceed 35 double-spaced pages (approximately 7,500 words). Initial inquiries regarding the special issue may be sent to the guest editor, Rachael Rosner, rachael@denenberg.com, or the regular editor, Nadine Weidman, hop.editor@icloud.com Papers should be submitted through the History of Psychology Manuscript Submission Portal with a cover letter indicating that the paper is to be considered for the special issue. Please see the Instructions to Authors information located on the History of Psychology website.