Hee-Sun Cheon

Dr. Hee-Sun Cheon serves as Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy and Director of MFT Practicum at Seattle Pacific University's School of Psychology, Family and Community. With over a decade of experience at SPU since 2011, she contributes significantly to both academic instruction and clinical training programs within the Marriage and Family Therapy department. Her position bridges theoretical knowledge with practical clinical application, serving as a key figure in shaping the next generation of family therapists.

• BA, Hanyang University, 1998
• MS, Kansas State University, 2000
• PhD, Iowa State University, 2007

Dr. Cheon's research and clinical practice focus on diversity issues in family therapy, with particular emphasis on mental health disparities affecting children of immigrant families. As a registered drama therapist, she innovatively integrates drama therapy techniques with traditional family therapy approaches. Her work explores cultural humility in clinical practice, supervisor-supervisee relationships, and the intersection of faith and couple identity. Dr. Cheon actively engages with community mental health through her role as director of the counseling department at Korean Counseling Services in Edmonds, Washington, demonstrating her commitment to addressing real-world mental health challenges.

Dr. Cheon's publication record reveals a consistent focus on cultural competence in family therapy, with particular attention to Korean American communities and immigrant experiences. Her research spans clinical interventions, supervision models, and the psychological impact of cultural and religious identity. Notably, she has contributed to understanding racial microaggressions among Asian American college students and mental health disparities within Christian Korean American populations. Her work consistently bridges academic theory with practical clinical applications, often incorporating creative therapeutic approaches like drama therapy.

Dr. Cheon serves as Director of MFT Practicum and has been actively involved in professional guilds as a board member. While specific grants aren't detailed in the provided text, her leadership in the Couple Identity and Faith study and the Building Resilience Through Improvised Lived Stories research initiative demonstrates active engagement in funded research projects. These studies explore how couples form collective identity influenced by spiritual faith and examine the impact of playback theater on college student wellbeing, respectively.