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Exploring Life’s Challenging Questions
Dr. Elena E. Kim is a psychologist who specializes in helping individuals navigate complex life challenges through psychotherapy. She addresses issues such as depression, anxiety, and trauma, but her approach goes beyond merely alleviating symptoms. Dr. Kim emphasizes the importance of exploring the deeper meanings and purposes of life. Her goal is to support clients in achieving a deep sense of contentment, authenticity, joy, and happiness, ultimately guiding them toward more fulfilling lives during their healing journey.
Experience with Diverse Populations
Elena has extensive experience providing care to a wide range of clients at various medical facilities in Manhattan, New York. She provided psychological services at a Veteran Affairs Hospital, the New York Health Hospital System, and is the founding Equity, Diversity, and Inclusivity Officer for the Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality. Elena is committed to fostering an inclusive and supportive therapeutic setting and specializes in working with clients from diverse backgrounds.
Research and Publishing
Elena was awarded a John Templeton Grant to explore the integration of existential issues into psychotherapy. Through this research, she has enriched our understanding of how to uncover and address the inner struggles related to deeper life issues. Her work includes a variety of publications, including academic journals and textbook chapters, and she is currently writing a book on integrating existential-spiritual issues and psychotherapy with Cambridge University Press.
Relevant Professional Experiences
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Winkeljohn-Black S. & Kim, E. E. (manuscript in preparation). Existential-Spiritual Psychotherapy. In Jong, J. (Ed.) Cambridge Elements in Psychology of Religion. Cambridge University Press.
Abo-Zena, M. M., Kim, E. E., & Winkeljohn Black, S. (in press). Towards socially just approaches to incorporating spirituality and religion in mental health care. In Currier, J. M., Fox J., & Vieten, C. (Eds.) Handbook of training in spiritual and religious competencies in mental health professions. Oxford University Press
Cho, I., Kim, E. E., Lee, D. H., Chuang, D. (in press). Community Case Study for Enhancing Integrated Mental Health Treatment For Asian Americans: A Collaborative Practice Model. Journal of Psychology and Theology.
Kim, E. E. (August 2023). Reproductive Justice: The Lived Experiences and Impact of Religious Identities and Policies. Lead a Critical Conversation event to discuss the intersectionality of multicultural identities and reproductive justice for pregnant persons at the American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, D.C.
Kim, E. E., Cha, J., & Keller, T. (2023). Gospel-centered integrated framework for therapy: Foundation, description, research findings, and application. In P. S. Richards, G. E. K. Allen, & D. K. Judd (Eds.), Handbook of spiritually integrated psychotherapies (pp. 213–230). American Psychological Association. https://doi.org/10.1037/0000338-011
Kim, E. E., & Chen, E. C. (2022). Task analysis of a christian-integrated psychotherapy framework. Psychotherapy, 59, 363–373. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000406
Prout, T. A., Magaldi, D., Kim, E. E., & Cha, J. (2020). Christian therapists and their clients. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 8, 1.
Kim, E. E., Chen, E. C., Cha, J. (2019, August). Spiritual Mechanisms of Change within the context of a Christian-Integrated Psychotherapy Framework: Preliminary Findings. Research presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, Chicago, IL.
Kim, E. E., Chen, E. C., & Brachfeld, C. (2018). Patients’ Experience of Spirituality and Change in Individual Psychotherapy at a Christian Counseling Clinic: A Grounded Theory Analysis. Spirituality in Clinical Practice, 6, 110-123.
Kim, E. E., Chen, E. C., & Brachfeld, C. (2016, August). Patients’ experiences of spirituality in psychotherapy: A grounded theory analysis. In P. S. Richards & J. N. Nelson (Co-Chairs), Spiritually oriented psychotherapy: Processes, outcomes, and research challenges. Symposium presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, Denver, CO.
Chen, E. C., Pratt, A. S., & Kim, E. E. (2016, August). Organizational culture change: Group therapists as social justice advocates. Poster presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, Denver, CO.
Kim, E.E., Rowe, Kali, & Chen, E.C., (2015, August). Facilitating Group Therapy Trainees Multicultural Competencies Development through Clinical Supervision. Symposium at the American Psychological Association Convention, Toronto, Canada.
Ting, L.A., Kim, E.E., & Chen, E.C., (2015, August). Building Group Therapy Trainees’ Multicultural Competencies through Difficult Dialogues. Symposium at the American Psychological Association Convention, Toronto, Canada.
Prout, T.A., & Kim, E.E., (2015, August). Christian Counseling: Initial Report on A Large-Scale Study. Presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, Toronto, Canada.
Kim, E.E., Ting, L.A., & Chen, E.C., (2014, August). Bridging the Gap between Evidence-Based Practice and Multicultural Competencies Research. Symposium at the American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, D.C.
Prout, T.A., & Kim, E.E., (2014, August). Therapeutic Alliance, Client-Therapist Match, and Outcomes in Christian Counseling. Paper presentation at the American Psychological Association Convention, Washington, D.C.
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Elena Kim, PhD, New York, NY; Princeton, NJ; Practicing, teaching, and supervising clients, and supervisees under the Existential-Spiritual Psychotherapy framework.
Clinical Mental Health Services in the Bronx Community,Bronx, NY; Supervising doctoral counseling students who are providing free telehealth mental health services for Black, Latino, and immigrant children and youth in the Bronx area.
Angela Kang, PhD, New York, NY; Supervised by Dr. Angela Kang; Culturally-sensitive psychotherapy for clients that identify as a person of color and/or religious/spiritual faith
Xavier High School, New York, NY; Supervised by Dr. Amelio D’Onofrio; Psychodynamic therapy for students at a private Jesuit, all-boys high school
Veterans Affairs New York Harbor Healthcare System, Brooklyn, NY; Supervised by Drs. Shalini Sehgal, Alexandra Drake, Paul Rhindress, and Amy Malkin; Psychodynamic therapy for Veterans with PTSD; specialized in Afghan/Iraq adjustment, military sexual trauma, Vietnam veterans
Gouverneur Behavioral Health, New York, NY; Supervised by Drs. Julie Reinhold, and George Collins; Dialectical behavioral therapy and psychodynamic therapy for lower socioeconomic, diverse population
John Jay Counseling Services Center, New York, NY; Supervised by Drs. Gauri Pradhan, and Elena Beharry; Individual and group therapy for diverse college population
Redeemer Counseling Services, New York, NY; Supervised by Drs. Judy Cha, and Julie Reinhold; Gospel-centered Integrated Framework for Therapy for adult Christian clients
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Research Institute for Spirituality and Eudaimonia; Founder and Director
APA Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality; Inaugural Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Officer
APA Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality; Task Force for Social Justice Issues, Founding Member
APA Society of Group Psychology and Group Psychotherapy; Diversity Committee Member
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John Templeton Foundation, Research Grant (2021).
Division 36, Society for the Psychology of Religion and Spirituality of the American Psychological Association, Student Research Award (2018).
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Fordham University, New York, NY; August 2021; Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology
Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, NY; May 2012; M.A. in Clinical Psychology
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; May 2003; B.A. in Psychology with Honors
The Wharton School of Business, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA; May 2003; B.S. in Economics