Sook Kyoung Kwon and Jamie Rosen: Art, Trauma, and the Path to Healing

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What if the path to healing trauma lies not just in talking about it, but in experiencing it differently through creative expression? In this illuminating conversation, Pastor Chris Nafis sits down with expressive arts therapists Jamie Rosen and Sook Kyoung Kwon to explore the profound connection between creativity, trauma healing, and spiritual growth.
Both therapists share their compelling journeys into expressive arts therapy—Sook Kyoung's transition from Korean theater artist to drama therapist working with refugees, and Jamie's path from trial attorney to finding healing through creative expression after personal loss. They explain how expressive arts therapy integrates multiple creative modalities (visual art, music, movement, writing, drama) to help people process trauma in ways that traditional talk therapy often cannot reach.
"Trauma happens outside and affects inside," Sook Kyoung explains, describing how overwhelming experiences become stored in our bodies, affecting our capacity for connection and joy. The therapists demonstrate how creative expression offers a way to externalize difficult emotions without retraumatization, while "tricking" the nervous system into releasing calming hormones through sensory engagement and play.
The conversation takes a fascinating turn as they discuss how religious communities—despite historically embracing embodied practices like music, art, and ritual—have often moved away from these healing elements, emphasizing cognitive belief over embodied experience. "We live in a world where good enough isn't okay... you're supposed to be happy all the time," Jamie observes, highlighting how perfectionism undermines our resilience. The therapists invite listeners to rediscover the joy of play, sensory engagement, and authentic connection that can rebuild our capacity for spiritual growth.
Whether you're carrying personal trauma, supporting others through hardship, or simply seeking greater resilience in challenging times, this conversation offers practical wisdom for reconnecting with your innate creativity as a pathway to healing. As Jamie powerfully concludes: "It's not the word, it's the work."

Chapters

1. Meeting Two Expressive Arts Therapists (00:00:00)

2. Discovering Healing Through Art (00:09:34)

3. What is Expressive Arts Therapy? (00:19:15)

4. Trauma and its Effects on Spirituality (00:37:40)

5. Reclaiming Joy Through Play (00:50:21)

6. Technology vs. Genuine Connection (01:03:32)

7. Challenges in Faith Communities (01:06:57)