Shimjung counseling: An indigenous pastoral counseling model for Koreans

This dissertation proposes that Korean pastoral counseling can be enriched by engaging Korean cultural psychology. A review of syllabi used in pastoral counseling classes in Korea was employed in order to examine the current status of pastoral counseling education in Korea. Through this review, this study claims that Korean pastoral counseling education still depends heavily upon theories and methods from general psychology mostly developed in Western Europe and North America and lacks in-depth cultural awareness.;In order to provide a culturally informative pastoral counseling model, this study introduces three Korean indigenous concepts: Jung, Woori and Shimjung. Jung is the affection that grows in close Woori [we] relationships. Shimjung is the emotion that is often aroused in Woori and Jung relationships when expectations fall short. This dissertation employs attachment theory so that a bridge that illuminates indigenous concepts can be built between general psychology and Korean psychology.;This study critically reviews Shimjung counseling developed by Sang-Chin Choi. Shimjung counseling is beneficial to Koreans, since it is based on Korean Maum psychology and it focuses on emotions aroused due to interpersonal relationship troubles, which are often major concerns for Koreans. However, Shimjung counseling is not fully developed in its theories and methods; for example, it needs to consider Korean women's issues. Therefore, this dissertation proposes Shimjung pastoral counseling utilizing Shimjung narrative theory.;Shimjung narrative pastoral counseling emphasizes possibilities in human beings. It is a mindset and philosophy that assists counselees to make meaning out of the past and present and find hope and guidance for their own future. It is welcoming to women, who are often marginalized in the discipline of psychology and are still under the oppression of patriarchy, sexism, and classism, as this model encourages counselees to challenge dominant narratives. This dissertation is an exploratory study of the value of cultural psychology for the enrichment of pastoral counseling in Korea.