Opening the Red Door: Pastoral Counseling for Second-Generation Korean American in Third Space Open Access
Choe, Hae-Jin (Summer 2018)
Abstract
Many second-generation Korean Americans (SGKAs) are living lives of marginality on the edge of Korean American and American cultures. This double life often leads to heightened mental health concerns. Due to cultural stigma, however, SGKAs may not seek out counseling or other mental health services. If they do, their unique cultural formation is often not fully addressed, impeding growth and healing.
The aim of this study is to determine what kind of space is needed for the growth, healing and empowerment of SGKAs. Red Door Ministry (RDM), a pastoral counseling center at a local Korean American church, serves as a model for such a space. Built from a postcolonial understanding of third space, RDM is constructed with various culturally sensitive elements that allow SGKAs to move from places of shame on the margins to empowered new centers.
This transformation is examined by four in-depth interviews of RDM clients. These clients have completed at least ten sessions of counseling in RDM and present marked improvements in their mental, emotional, and spiritual health. The interviews show that these transformations were possible because their complex cultural hybridity was addressed in the process of counseling. This process is analyzed using concepts from Western psychological theories of D.W. Winnicott and C.G. Jung as well as through the work of several Korean American theologians: Wonhee Anne Joh, Grace Ji-sun Kim, and Andrew Sung Park.
The results of this study show that a third space that encourages personal transformation leads people with hybrid identities and cultures to live more meaningful and renewed lives. Their transformation is multiplied when they empower others towards freedom and agency. On this basis, it is recommended that pastoral counselors and other caregivers of marginalized and intercultural populations create hybrid third spaces for their care. Further research could be undertaken to identify the unique impact SGKAs may make when they are welcomed and empowered in similar spaces.
Table of Contents
Introduction 1
Why Red Door Ministry?: Origins and Nomenclature 2
A Small Sample with Limitless Knowledge: Meet the Other Three Clients 5
Framing the Door: Methods of Research 7
The Researcher and The Participants 9
A Walk Through the Red Door: Chapter Outline 11
Chapter 1: Red Door Ministry in Context 14
In Search of Home 14
Double Lives 17
Scholarship on the Double Live of Second-Generation Korean Americans 18
The Benefits of a Double Life 22
Not Fully Korean 22
A Snapshot of Korean Culture
Korean Culture Vs. American Culture
“Too Americanized”
Not Fully American 26
The Myth
Being “Asian American”
Racism Continues
Forever Foreigners
Pressures to Fit In 30
Expectations from Korea America Parents
Korean American Dream
Expectations from American Society
Mental Health Consequences of Double Lives 36
Anger and Violence 37
Fatherlessness: Growing Up with Violence
Ager and Violence and Second-Generation Korean Americans
Quest for Success: Guilt, Shame, and Fear of Failure 40
A New Definition of Success
A Sign of Weakness: Shame 43
The Double Life of the Korean American Church 44
The Church as a Comforter 44
As a Buffer from Oppression: Marginality and Racism
The Church as an Oppressor 45
Social Hierarchy: Competition
Generational Hierarchy
Restrictive Gender Roles
Homecoming: Red Door Ministry as a Place for Wholeness 49
Chapter 2: The Space of Red Door Ministry 53
Defining Space 53
Postcolonial Theory: Creating Third Space 55
Starting from Orientalism: Labeling the “Other” 56
Edward Said
Postcolonial Critique 57
Homi Bhabha
Postcolonial Process 59
Critique of Oppressive Systems
Validation of Full Humanity
Recovery through Reclamation
Construction of New Realities
Postcolonial Space 63
Third Space and Hybridity
Red Door Ministry as Third Space 64
Imagined Space to Physical Space 65
Envisioning Red Door Ministry 66
Creating Red Door Ministry: Under Construction 67
Inside the Room 68
Creating Potential Space
Transitional Object
Experiencing a Holding Environment
The Counselor’s Inner Space 73
The Counselor as Like All Others, Like Some Others, Like No Other 74
Pushing Past Labels 76
Reframing the “Rebellious Child”
1.5 Generation: A Fluid Identity
Claiming My Voice 79
A New Definition of Culture
Climbing Out of Silence
Being True to Self
Creating More Space 84
Confessions of a Colonized Colonizer
Homecoming 85
Home Away from Home
Conclusion 87
Chapter 3: What Happens in Red Door Ministry 88
Western vs. Eastern View of Self 89
Western and Eastern Views of “Self” 89
Shame 91
Shame and SGKAs 93
Defining Shame 93
Shame: Self-Deficiency
Shame: A Threat to Hope
Shame: The Result of Victimization
Shame and Guilt
Jason and Shame 97
Shame and Idealization
Shame and Gender Script
Ava and Shame 100
Shame and Negative Emotions
Shame and Gender Roles
Western Psychological Theorist 104
D.W. Winnicott 104
Transitional Object and Transitional Phenomena 105
Transitional Objects and Shame
Ava’s Transitional Object
Play and True Self 108
Play and True Self and Shame
Ava’s Play and True Self
C.G. Jung 112
Self-Exploration and Individuation 113
Self-Exploration and Individuation and Shame
Jason’s Self-Exploration and individuation
Shadow 116
Shadow and Shame
Jason’s Shadow
Winnicott and Jung in Red Door Ministry 119
Gaps in Western Theory for Second-Generation Korean Americans 119
Eastern Theorist 121
Wonhee Anne Joh 121
Jeong
Jeong and Shame
Jason’s Jeong
Ava’s Jeong
Andrew Sung Park 126
Hahn
Hahn and Shame
Ava’s Hahn
Jason’s Hahn
Hae-Jin Choe 129
Fusion Chef
Fusion Chef and Shame
Ava and the Fusion Chef
Jason and the Fusion Chef
Beyond Shame 135
The Red Door Ministry Model in the Therapist and Therapeutic Environment 135
The Therapist/Caregiver
Therapeutic Environment
The Red Door Ministry Model in the Therapeutic Environment of Christian
Churches 137
Chapter 4: Transformations in Red Door Ministry: Theological Implications 139
Pastoral Theology 140
Red Door Ministry Six Step Transformation Model: From Margins to New Center 141
Step 1: Opening and Embracing Possibilities 141
The Divine Dance 141
Dancing at Red Door Ministry 144
Step 2: Identifying Oppressive Systems 144
Margins 144
Being Marginalized
Rose’s Feelings of Marginalization
Sam’s Feelings of Marginalization
Step 3: Identifying Redemptive Elements 148
Turning the Margins into Places Possibilities 148
New Ways of Seeing 149
Finding New Sight at Red Door Ministry 150
Rose’s Step Toward Redemption
Jason’s Step Toward Redemption
Step 4: Using Redemptive elements to Challenge Oppressive Systems 154
The Fluidity of Margins and Centers 154
God and the Margins
Challenging Oppressive Voices in Red Door Ministry 157
Ava Challenges Oppressive Systems
Step 5: Owning Power and Agency 160
Power 160
Jason’s Power and Agency
Jeong 163
Sam’s Jeong
Step 6: Co-Creating New Centers 165
Chi 165
Chi and New Centers
Co-Creating New Centers in Red Door Ministry 167
Ava’s Center of Hope
Rose’s Center of Empowerment and Justice
Sam’s Center of Self-Discovery
Jason’s Center of Freedom
Flow of Divine Movement 171
Chapter 5: Going Beyond the Red Door Ministry 174
The Clients: Beyond the Red Door Ministry 174
Taking the Red Door Ministry Beyond Its Walls 174
Clients Creating Space 176
Ava’s Dream: Creating Potential Space for Justice
Rose’s Ministry: Creating Space for Jeong
Jason’s Next Chapter: Creating Space for Hahn
Sam’s Renewed Energy: Creating Space for Authenticity
The Community: Beyond the Red Door Ministry 180
A Scriptural Model for Flourishing Space 181
Parable of the Sower: Space for Growth and Healing
The Postcolonial Model for Flourishing Space 183
Third Space
Third Space and Fusion
Third Space and Potential Space
Implication for the Korean American Church 185
The Caregiver: Beyond the Red Door Ministry 187
The Inner Life of the Dreamer: A Life’s Work of Inner Work 187
Quest for Authentic Connection: A Life’s Work of Rest and Nurturing Relationships 188
Going Beyond the Red Door Ministry 189
Bibliography/Non-Printed Sources 191
Appendix: Interview Questions 200
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