An SPU professor blends storytelling and science in SPU’s Marriage and Family Therapy program.
Dr. Hee-Sun Cheon doesn’t see teaching as just a profession — it’s a deeply human exchange rooted in presence, purpose, and connection. As an associate professor in Seattle Pacific University’s Marriage and Family Therapy program, she blends the art of storytelling with the science of therapy to help students discover who they are — not just what they know.
Cheon’s path has not been without struggle. As a Korean American and first-generation immigrant, she initially approached the classroom with caution. “I kept students at arm’s length,” she said. “Telling myself I wouldn’t stay in the U.S. long.” It wasn’t until a student bravely told her, “Hee-Sun, I don’t feel like I know you,” that she realized her presence mattered more than any lesson plan.
“That moment changed me,” she recalled. “To be known, I have to be present. And to truly know others, I must show up honestly and wholeheartedly.”
From Story to Connection
Cheon’s teaching often centers on Playback Theatre, an improvisational form where participants reenact one another’s stories through expressive movement and dialogue. “It’s not about performance, but presence,” she said. “Playback Theatre invites us to listen with our whole selves. Stories aren’t just told; they’re received with deep care and compassion.”
By weaving this practice into her curriculum, Cheon creates spaces where vulnerability becomes a tool for growth. “It’s not about getting it right,” she said. “It’s about showing up fully with courage, wonder, and a willingness to make mistakes.” In her course “Embodied Storysharing for Therapists,” one student shared the emotional toll of carrying a client’s pain. Classmates brought that story to life on stage and something shifted in the room.
“The room softened,” Cheon recalled. “Everyone’s breath fell into sync. We felt the weight and the beauty of what was shared.” The student later reflected, “I needed to see myself in that position more than anything else.” For Cheon, it was a reminder of the power of presence. “That moment taught me that encounter itself can be healing,” she said.
Research psychology student Zoey Chu ’25 echoed the impact. “Participating in Playback Theatre has reshaped how I think about what it means to be a supportive and reflective person,” she said. “It has shown me how powerful active response can be in creating connection, deepening self-awareness, and fostering healing.”
In 2023, Cheon founded her own Playback Theatre ensemble, Storyjangyeedle, with the support of close friends. The group fosters community spaces where people’s stories are shared and brought to life on stage and it now plays an integral role in a community-based research project with older adults, offering SPU students like Chu the chance to participate in meaningful, hands-on research.
Teaching as Transformation
Cheon views education not simply as the transfer of knowledge, but as a journey of transformation. “I don’t rush toward resolution,” she said, particularly when working through issues of identity, power, or difference. “Discomfort is inevitable and necessary. My role is to hold space with compassion and curiosity.”
Cheon’s research on diversity and identity is deeply intertwined with her creative practices. Both stem from a core belief. “Each person’s uniqueness is a delight to discover,” she said warmly. “Like (psychotherapist) Virginia Satir, I believe our differences invite lifelong learning, while our similarities draw us into connection.”
That belief resonates with MFT student Jessi Morris ’26, who said Cheon’s approach has reshaped how she sees herself and her work. “I’ve been able to approach my clients with more openness and compassion,” Morris said. “I have growing self-acceptance around improvising with who I am now — a beginning therapist who is still figuring all this out.”
A Quiet Legacy
Despite her many accomplishments, acclaimed research, the creative integration of theater and therapy, and countless inspired students Cheon doesn’t speak in terms of legacy.
“I don’t know if I want to leave a legacy in the traditional sense,” she said. “I just want to be known as someone who gave my full attention to the person in front of me. Someone who showed up with care, with presence and with a willingness to truly encounter.”
In a world that often prizes certainty, efficiency, and resolution, Cheon models something different: wonder, slowness, and humility. She invites her students to pause, to breathe, and to find joy in serving others. She is a reminder that transformation doesn’t always arrive through answers but through encounter, story, and presence.
And perhaps that’s the most profound lesson of all.
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