Eunmi Hwang

Eunmi Hwang is a PhD student in Social Work at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. She holds a background in Counseling Psychology and Social Work, and her research interests center on developing interventions that promote mental health and recovery among individuals and families affected by trauma. Drawing on culturally informed and family-centered perspectives, her research focuses on improving mental health outcomes among North Korean refugee communities, immigrant families, and other socially vulnerable populations.

As a volunteer teacher and dormitory mentor at an alternative school for North Korean refugee youth, Eunmi lived alongside students in their daily lives, developing a deeper understanding of the complex trauma experienced by many North Korean refugees and its impact on individual and family mental health. She later served as a research assistant during her master’s program at the University of Georgia, where she contributed to projects examining immigrants’ access to preventive healthcare and the effects of human trafficking and sexual exploitation on the mental health and social outcomes of vulnerable populations. Through her clinical practicum in a Family Treatment Court (FTC)-affiliated program, she provided individual and group counseling to adults experiencing trauma, substance use, and mental health challenges.

Eunmi’s long-term research goal is to develop trauma-informed, culturally responsive family interventions and to advance their implementation in clinical and community settings. Through this work, she hopes to contribute to improving the mental health and family resilience of marginalized populations.

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