Compared to native-born Americans—who were born and raised in the U.S., are familiar with American culture, and have no difficulty expressing themselves in English—we immigrants are psychologically vulnerable. This is because we face various emotional challenges stemming from the severe stress of immigrant life, including feelings of isolation, depression, anxiety, identity confusion, low self-esteem, and relationship issues. The problem is that, despite this psychological vulnerability, the rate at which Korean Americans seek professional mental health counseling is significantly lower than that of other cultural groups.
According to a recent study (Ito & Hsu, 2023), Asian Americans utilize mental health services at a rate that is nearly half that of other racial groups. The primary reasons for this include a lack of awareness and stigma surrounding mental illness, as well as a shortage of culturally and linguistically appropriate services.
One of the most heartbreaking situations I encounter in my practice is when clients, unable to find a mental health professional who understands Korean culture and can communicate comfortably in Korean, end up delaying treatment. This delay often leads to the development of severe psychiatric symptoms, resulting in hospitalization or, in some cases, an inability to bear the pain, ultimately leading to suicide. Most clients who come to see me say it took them anywhere from several months to as long as several years to find a Korean-American professional. This highlights the limited availability of professionals who fully understand Korean culture and sensibilities, can communicate openly in Korean, and empathize with the difficulties faced by Korean immigrants. It also underscores the urgent need to train professional counselors specifically for first- and second-generation Korean-Americans.
As a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor, the author provides psychological counseling and therapy while teaching graduate students in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program at Moody Bible Institute. In addition, the author educates and trains interns and professional counselors as an Approved Clinical Supervisor. As a counselor educator, my key role is to help graduate students understand the importance of culturally appropriate counseling services and to teach them how to understand clients’ cultures and provide culturally responsive mental health services.
Even if a counselor’s cultural, linguistic, or ethnic background differs from that of the client, they can be considered a culturally competent professional only if they are open to other cultures without prejudice, are sensitive to the client’s cultural and emotional needs, and are able to provide services tailored to those needs.
When Christians are struggling emotionally, they find strength through prayer and the Word. However, if necessary, it would be a blessing to consult a professional counselor who understands Korean culture and is fluent in both Korean and English, as this would greatly enhance the effectiveness of the counseling. Let us not dismiss emotional distress as merely a lack of faith or the work of the devil, but instead pray for the opportunity to meet a good counselor. Only then can we receive early treatment and recovery, enabling us to live a deeper and more faithful life of faith.
In next month’s column, I plan to take a closer look at how mental health professionals are trained to understand the culture and sensibilities of the Korean-American community.
- Dr. Jo Ok-soon (PhD, NCC, LCPC, ACS)
; Psychological Counselor, Certified Clinical Supervisor
; Director, Chicago Mental Health Institute
; Professor, School of Counseling, Moody Theological Seminary
; Associate Professor and Field Chair of the MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling program, Moody Theological Seminary, Moody Bible Institute
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Source: Christian Journal (https://www.kcjlogos.org)
