Art Therapist and Creativity for Wellness Advocate Joins CFA Tenure Track Faculty

Artist, therapist, and educator Nancy Choe is a new member of the tenure track faculty of LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts. Choe is currently an assistant professor in the Marital & Family/ Art Therapy department.

Choe's career as a scholar and educator centers around holistic wellness driven by creativity. "LMU's Department of Marital and Family Therapy's commitment to arts-based research, inclusivity, and innovative practices aligned perfectly with my own values," she says. "The department is an ideal place for me to pursue my creative work and research interests, which often blend new media practices with art therapy, through exploring poetry, performance, interactive storytelling, and generative artificial intelligence," continues Choe.

Choe pursued a double major in Art History and Studio Arts at the University of California, Irvine, before earning her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. After completing an artist residency at the Skowhegan School of Painting and Sculpture, she transitioned into a role as a marketing consultant for global firms like Autodesk. Balancing her professional and personal life as a working parent, she came to LMU to study in the Marital and Family Therapy/Art Therapy program and later earned her PhD from Notre Dame de Namur University (now Dominican University). Reflecting on her journey, Choe notes, "After earning my PhD in art therapy, returning to LMU to teach just felt right."

Choe currently teaches Psychological Tests & Art Therapy Assessment (MFTH 640), which focuses on advanced clinical assessment training. The course enhances students' skills by demonstrating how arts-based observations can reveal deeper insights into a client's emotional and cognitive state and overall well-being, ultimately helping students develop a more holistic understanding of their clients. She also teaches Research Methodology (MFTH 691), covering research design, data analysis, and research ethics. Choe aims to foster critical thinking, ethical judgment, and cultural humility. "I hope to guide students toward becoming competent, empathetic therapists that advocate for diverse clients," she says.

Alongside her career as an educator, Choe continues emphasizing the importance of diversity and ethics in psychological contexts. Her most recent pursuit is a book on AI and art therapy. "I am aiming to bring together diverse and ethical perspectives on harnessing the therapeutic and creative potential of AI tools in art therapy," Choe asserts. "I am also writing a chapter for a book on the therapeutic power of creativity. My chapter explores using poetry as an artistic and therapeutic medium-rather than a purely literary one-by incorporating kinesthetic, sensory, and affective elements," she says.

In addition to her literary achievements, Choe is an experienced bicultural and bilingual therapist who volunteers her time for various organizations dedicated to the mental health of Korean Americans. "I am deeply committed to community engagement," she says. "I also stay actively involved in narrative medicine by facilitating art workshops in healthcare spaces."

"Overall, my experience at LMU has been incredibly positive," summarizes Choe. "LMU College of Communication and Fine Arts, along with my department, has been very supportive of my creative work and research interests."