At Home with DoHee Kim and Jonathan Appel

Interpersonal and intergenerational neurobiology can illuminate the development of emotional health within a social and cultural context. In recent years, Historical Trauma Theory has proposed that populations historically subjected to long-term, mass trauma—(such as slavery, war, genocide, and other forms of social oppression) exhibit a higher prevalence of health issues even across several generations removed from the original trauma(s). Understanding how historical trauma might influence the current mental health status of racial/ethnic populations may provide new directions and insights for understanding, treating and preventing mental health issues. This presentation will examine the model of Historical Trauma Theory and the research support to date. This framework will be applied to Family Therapy practice as well as research implications.

Speaker Bios:

Dr. DoHee Kim-Appel is an Associate professor in the Master of Arts in Counseling (MAC) at Heidelberg University (Ohio). She has decades of experience in the field of behavioral health, working with diverse populations of clients across a spectrum of emotional and substance-related issues, including youth, individuals, couples, and families. Dr. Kim-Appel is an Independent Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and a Supervisor (Ohio). Dr. Kim-Appel has presented papers and training sessions regionally, nationally, and internationally in such topics as mindfulness, ethics, supervision, creativity, and mental health, art therapy, substance abuse & mental illness, therapeutic jurisprudence, transdisciplinary practice, workplace violence, and family violence. Dr. Kim-Appel has co-authored numerous book chapters and papers in peer-reviewed journals. Her research interests include family differentiation, mindfulness, cultural competency, supervision, and international issues in behavioral health. 

Dr. Kim-Appel is 2020-2021 President-Elect for OCA. Currently, she is an Editorial Board member of the Journal of Counselor Practice (JCP) published by the Ohio Counseling Association (OCA). She was the 2019-2020 President for the Ohio Counselor Education and Supervision (OACES) and was the 2018-2020 Chairperson for the North West Ohio Counseling Association (NWOCA) Award Committee. Dr. Kim-Appel was one of the task force members to formalize the Ohio Substance Use Disorders Professionals (OSUDP) Interest Group within the OCA and served as a president. She is the founder and 2016-2018 Chairperson for the International Student and Faculty Interest Network (ISFIN) within the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES).

Dr. Jonathan Appel has worked in the field of behavioral health for three decades. Dr. Appel has degrees in Counseling, Psychology, and Criminal Justice. He has worked with individuals, groups, families, and organizations as a counselor, family therapist, and clinical supervisor, director of behavioral health services, consultant, researcher, department chair, and educator. He is currently a full professor in the Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, within the School of Criminal Justice and Social Sciences at Tiffin University (Ohio). Dr. Appel has presented papers and training sessions regionally, nationally, and internationally in such topics as workplace violence, family violence, mindfulness, substance abuse & mental illness, the psychology of terrorism, and therapeutic jurisprudence. Dr. Appel also has co-authored numerous book chapters and papers and is currently on the editorial board for the International Journal of Mental Health & Addiction. Dr. Appel is an Independent Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (Ohio).