A researcher in psychology, Mark Chae, Ph.D. served as an associate professor at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, now Rutgers School of Biomedical and Health Sciences. In addition to his professional role at the university, Mark Chae, Ph.D. was a member of the American Counseling Association (ACA), an organization that advances the growth and improvement of the counseling field.
The ACA joined with licensed professionals around the country in celebrating the passage of Georgia House Bill 395. HB 395 will allow licensed professionals to practice across state lines as a part of the Counseling Compact. With the passage of this act into law, Georgia will be the first of the 10 needed states to remove the burden of professionals to acquire multiple licenses. These compacts will potentially simplify the process of practicing in states because it removes difficulties among states because of varying licensing rules and regulations. As it stands, Georgia and Maryland have already signed into law agreements to this effect. Moreover, compact laws are pending in North Carolina, Nebraska, and Tennessee, and 15 other states are considering passing similar legislation.
0 Comments
Mark Chae, PhD, is a professional psychotherapist and organizational consultant. His teaching experience spans 15 years. In addition to his professorships, Mark Chae, PhD, has completed postdoctoral research projects at Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences (RBHS).
RBHS comprises eight schools, including medicine, public health, and pharmacy. RBHS research activity, among the top in New Jersey, tackles various areas of laboratory and clinical research. Additionally, RBHS collaborates with the Brain Health Institute to conduct research projects related to neurodegenerative diseases. In September 2020, Rutgers alumnus Herbert C. Klein donated $5 million to Rutgers University in support of its research efforts in Alzheimer’s disease and dementia. Given in honor of Klein’s deceased wife Jacqueline, who passed as a result of Alzheimer’s disease, the funds will be allocated to the newly created Jacqueline Krieger Klein Endowed Director’s Chair in Alzheimer’s Disease and Neurodegeneration Research. The chair’s holder will be responsible for directing a new research center at the Brain Health Institute named in the Kleins’ honor: the Herbert and Jacqueline Krieger Klein Alzheimer’s and Dementia Clinical Research and Treatment Center. In the past decade, Mark Chae, PhD, has acquired teaching experience from several universities. After earning his master of education from Columbia University in New York City, he joined Seton Hall University as a PhD candidate. Mark Chae completed the university’s APA-accredited counseling psychology doctoral program and was awarded multiple research grants.
Seton Hall University’s PhD full-time program in counseling psychology takes five years to complete. Students take theoretical courses and research hours worth a total of 97 credits. Courses cover theories of psychology, research methods, and ethical issues in professional psychology. Additionally, students have the option of choosing a minor area in which to specialize. All first-year PhD candidates are assigned as research assistants to accompanying faculty members in their research projects. In the following three years, students participate in externships taking place in counseling centers and hospitals. The fifth and final year comprises a full-time internship and a dissertation. An experienced associate professor and researcher, Mark Chae, Ph.D. works at the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey. Having earned his doctorate in psychology in 2004, Mark Chae, Ph.D. also maintains membership with the American Psychological Association (APA).
In celebrating Martin Luther King, Jr. day, APA President Dr. Jennifer F. Kelly states that more work must be done to combat racial inequality across the country. Highlighting a speech that Martin Luther King, Jr. gave to the organization in 1967, Dr. Kelly says that psychologists must evaluate their roles in perpetuating racism. She also calls for them to use their expertise and compassion to create more paths for healing and accountability. Adding to this, she emphasizes psychologists’ roles as social scientists, which Martin Luther King, Jr. highlighted during his 1967 address. APA will continue to evaluate how it can impact society and eradicate racism. Finishing on a positive note, she adds that morals continue to arc toward justice. Researcher Mark Chae earned advanced degrees in applied psychology and counseling before he completed his PhD at Seton Hall University. Mark Chae, PhD, specializes in research on cross-cultural factors that impact the delivery of mental health services, especially for Asian Americans.
While Asian-American men need the same rate of counseling services as other groups, they are less likely to seek treatment. Reasons for this discrepancy include: - Cultural competency. Many Asian Americans come from cultures with collectivist values, which can be directly at odds with the individualistic culture of the United States. Counselors must be aware of these differences and the ways they may impact clients’ views of their mental health. - Stigma. As in other cultures, Asian-American men may be discouraged from expressing their emotions, especially emotions such as sadness. Similarly, mental health issues may be interpreted as weaknesses and make individuals reluctant to ask for help. - Racism. Many Asian Americans experience racism and prejudice in their daily lives. Since these issues often are not highlighted in the traditional discourse on race, some mental health practitioners are unfamiliar with the dynamic. Asian-American clients may feel that their experiences are dismissed or minimized by such therapists. An active professional member of the American Counselling Association, Mark Chae, Ph.D. served as an associate professor of psychiatric rehabilitation and counseling at Rutgers University for two years. Mark Chae, Ph.D. has over two decades of experience in counseling psychology and has written more than 25 peer-reviewed publications, including "Relationship of Ethnic Identity and Spiritual Development: An Exploratory Study."
Ethnic identity refers to the way members of an ethnic group recognize and communicate with each other as a subdivision of their dominant culture. Literature published by Rotheram and Phinney in 1987 described ethnic identity as a sense of belonging to one's ethnic group, as well as the development of perception, behaviors, feeling, and thinking that are typically associated with the group. Subsequently, in 1996, Phinney expanded the ethnic identity development process into a three-stage model. In an orderly manner, these stages are unexamined ethnic identity, moratorium or search status, and achieved ethnic identity. At the unexamined ethnic identity stage, an individual perceives their ethnicity as unimportant and rather accepts the beliefs and values of their immediate environment. When an individual begins to develop a deeper interest in their ethnic group and cultural values, they are in moratorium search status. During this stage, they begin to embrace the practices and behaviors of their ethnic group. When ethnic identity is finally achieved (the last stage), the individual develops pride in their ethnic heritage and demonstrates this toward other members of their group. A psychologist with broad teaching and research experience, Mark Chae Ph.D. is a professor at Pillar College in Newark, New Jersey. After earning a master of arts from Columbia University and a Ph.D. from Seton Hall University, Mark Chae completed a post-doctoral fellowship in forensic psychology at Rutgers University.
A forensic psychologist plays an important role in the criminal justice system. Sometimes portrayed as a “criminal profiler” on television and film, a forensic psychologist shares behavioral research that can influence judicial decisions. Forensic psychologists work with law enforcement agencies to create profiles of criminals based on common psychological traits. Additionally, they often testify in court to support a theory about the criminal defendant’s intent. Before trial, forensic psychologists often conduct screenings of imprisoned individuals to determine if their mental state allows them to stand trial, and they also investigate psychological disorders among criminal and civil defendants. Outside the court system, forensic psychologists might work in universities or government agencies, researching the interaction between human behavior and the legal system. A member of the American Psychological Association (APA), Mark Chae, PhD, is an experienced mental health researcher whose grant-supported work includes multiple endowments from Johnson & Johnson as well as a three-year grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF). While pursuing his PhD, Mark Chae worked as a doctoral-level clinician at a cross-cultural counseling center, where he assisted Asian American patients in navigating mental health issues.
According to a recent report by the Center for American Progress, about 37 percent of adults in the U.S. who identify as Asian American struggle with poor mental health, including conditions such as high stress, emotional problems, and depression. Compounding this problem is the fact that data presented by the National Latino and Asian American Study (NLAAS) reveals that persons of Asian descent in the United States are up to three times less likely to find professional help through mental health services than white Americans. Figures collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) suggest this discrepancy in seeking help may be attributable to several factors, including the high cost of care, a lack of insurance, immigration status, language barriers, and fear of social stigma associated with mental health struggles. Data also indicates many Asian Americans fear bias and cultural differences between themselves and their healthcare providers will lead to discrimination at the doctor’s office. In addition to having completed research at the JFK Family Medicine Center with a grant from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Mark Chae, PhD, has taught at the Rutgers School of Health Related Professions, Seton Hall University, and William Paterson University. Mark Chae, PhD, maintains active membership with several professional organizations, including the American Counseling Association (ACA). A non-profit organization established in 1952, the ACA seeks to support professional counselors in their efforts to empower individuals by enhancing their mental health. The organization provides a diverse range of resources to help accomplish this goal. In its Journal of Counseling & Development, the ACA offers articles such as Building Blocks to Portability: Culmination of the 20/20 Initiative. In this article, David M. Kaplan and Kurt L. Kraus address the obstacles for transferring professional counseling licenses across state boundaries and current efforts to facilitate the process. The ACA also offers free podcasts that address important issues for counselors. These include one on values and ethics in counseling from Dana Heller Levitt and Holly J. Hartwig Moorhead who tackle the topic of personal values in relationships with clients. |
AuthorA former researcher with the University of Medicine & Dentistry of New Jersey, Mark Chae, PhD, has pursued a number of corporate research projects over the past decade. Archives
April 2021
Categories
All
|