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Our Flourishing, Our Faith:

Navigating Rupture and Repair in Asian American Christian Communities

A Hybrid Conference on Mental Health and Ministry
April 10–11, 2026 · Biola University, La Mirada, CA

Join us next spring for a two-day conference!

The Center for Asian American Christianity (Princeton Theological Seminary) and the Asian American Mental Health Initiative at the Rosemead School of Psychology (Biola University) invite you to join a two-day hybrid conference dedicated to strengthening the mental, spiritual, and communal health of Asian American faith communities.

Our conviction is simple yet urgent: flourishing in Asian American churches and households depends upon the integration of psychological science, biblical–theological wisdom, and honest attention to the migration and racialization experiences that shape our lives.

Our conference theme names both the ruptures that wound us—conflicts avoided, anger suppressed, forgiveness demanded without lament—and the hope of repair through God’s reconciling love. Together, we will explore how rupture can become the doorway to deeper communion with God and neighbor.

Organizers

Center for Asian American Christianity at Princeton Theological Seminary
Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University

Featured Plenary Speakers

Jessica ChenFeng
Rupture and repair in the family
Christina Kim
Rupture and repair in the Church
Sangeetha Thomas
Living with and grieving unresolved ruptures

Why Attend?

  • Learn frameworks you can use immediately. Gain accessible insights from psychology, brain science, and theology—all rooted in Asian American lived realities.
  • Practice repair. Interactive workshops will equip you with listening techniques, de-escalation skills, and practical strategies for families, leaders, and churches.
  • Find your story in the conversation. From first-generation immigrants to second-generation pastors, singles to parents, adoptees to biracial Asians—this conference is designed to reflect the breadth of our communities.
  • Destigmatize mental health in the church. Presenters will name harmful misreadings of theology and commend biblically faithful, psychologically responsible practices.
  • Join a continuing conversation. Your participation contributes to a growing body of public scholarship, stories, and resources that will be shared widely after the event.

Plenary Speakers

Jessica ChenFeng, PhD, LMFT

Associate Professor of Marriage and Family Therapy and DMFT Program Chair, Fuller Theological Seminary

Jessica ChenFeng, PhD, LMFT is an associate professor of marriage and family therapy and DMFT program chair at Fuller Theological Seminary, and an associate editor for Family Process journal. She has been a practicing MFT for almost 20 years and consults with academic, healthcare and church organizations to improve the well-being of people within their communities. Her research and clinical work center around social contextual intersections of race, gender, generation, trauma, and spirituality. She is the director of the Asian American Well-being Collaboratory and co-author of Finding Your Voice as a Beginning Marriage and Family Therapist and co-editor of Asian American Identities, Relationships, and Post-Migration Legacies.

Christina Lee Kim, Ph.D.

Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean in the Rosemead School of Psychology, Biola University

Dr. Christina Lee Kim is an Associate Professor of Psychology and Associate Dean in the Rosemead School of Psychology at Biola University. She also currently serves as the undergrad psychology department chair. Dr. Kim is a licensed clinical psychologist; however, her current professional activities lie mostly in the realm of teaching, research, and administrative responsibilities. Her research areas include cross-cultural and multicultural psychology, mental health and the church, Asian-American psychology, and the use of qualitative research methods. Dr. Kim and her husband have three daughters and are active members of Living Hope Community Church in Brea, CA.

Sangeetha Thomas, LPC

Licensed Professional Counselor and the Owner of Nepsis Counseling

Sangeetha S. Thomas is a Licensed Professional Counselor and the Owner of Nepsis Counseling in Dallas, Texas.  She is also the Director of Mental Health Ministries for the Assembly of Canonical Orthodox Bishops of the USA.  As Director, she collaborates with an interdisciplinary team of experts in mental health, ministry, and theology to create resources that support the mental health needs of Orthodox Christians across the United States.  As a psychotherapist, Sangeetha works with adults of diverse backgrounds who are healing from trauma, exploring multicultural identity and intergenerational trauma as children of immigrants, and learning to integrate their life experiences with their spiritual identity.

Workshop Speakers

Alex Chang

Lead Pastor, Princeton Alliance Church

Rev. Alex Chang is Lead Pastor of Princeton Alliance Church, a multi-ethnic church with over eighty-five ethnicities represented. Although he grew up as a pastor’s kid in a Korean immigrant church, ministry was never part of his vocational plans originally. He earned a BA in Economics from Boston College and worked as a banker for several financial institutions in New York City before moving to Princeton to earn his MDiv from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is an ordained minister in the Christian & Missionary Alliance (C&MA) denomination and also serves as Vice-Chairman on the Metropolitan District Executive Committee of the C&MA. He is currently pursuing a DMin at Fuller Theological Seminary.

Tansy Kadoe, LMFT

Register Today

$40/ ticket
  • The above Early Bird price is 33% off of regular price of $60
  • In person session participation at Biola University in La Mirada, CA
  • Direct contact with speakers and workshop leaders
  • Lunches, coffee, and light breakfasts included
  • Networking and discussion opportunities
  • Indefinite access to online event and session recordings via Airmeet
$100/ ~4 tickets
  • The above Early Bird price is 33% off of regular price of $150
  • Discount for groups of up to 4 in addition to Early Bird discount
  • In person session participation at Biola University in La Mirada, CA
  • Direct contact with speakers and workshop leaders
  • Lunches, coffee, and light breakfasts included
  • Networking and discussion opportunities
  • Indefinite access to online event and session recordings via Airmeet
$0/ ticket
  • Attend sessions live from anywhere in the world
  • Virtual networking and discussion
  • Recordings available on Airmeet after conference
  • Get your church or office together for a watch party (option in registration form)!

From Attendees of the 2025 Mental Health Conference

I was able to answer some of the questions that have bugged me regarding faith and clinical practice

AnonymousClinical Psychologist

It gave me opportunity to understand myself better and use the knowledge and skills in ministering to others. The subject is relevant to all American Asians.

Lilian Fong

The topics addressed are not ones I hear about everyday, and they were addressed with specificity to asian experience and with compassion to all human beings. I appreciated the nuance each speaker brought.

Christine Mejia

I really appreciated this conference, its quality, standard, and thoughtfulness to living out our faith in the specific context of being Asian-American Christian.

Cindy F

Schedule

All time markers are in US Pacific Time. More details coming soon!

Friday, April 10

Location: Biola University, La Mirada, CA

Time
Session
Presenter

8:00 AM–9:00 AM

Registration and Breakfast (included in registration)
Virtual Lounge and Exhibitor Booths open

9:00 AM–10:00 AM

Plenary 1
“Family Systems, Rupture, and Repair in Asian American Communities”

Jessica ChenFeng

10:00 AM–10:30 AM

Coffee Break
Virtual Lounge Discussions

10:30 AM–11:30 AM

Plenary 2
“Church as a Healing Community: Mental Health and Congregational Life”

Christina Lee Kim

11:30 AM–1:00 PM

Lunch (included in registration)
Virtual Lounge Discussions 11:30 AM–12:00 PM

1:00 PM–2:00 PM

Plenary 3
“Unresolved Grief, Trauma, and the Journey Toward Healing”

Sangeetha Thomas

2:00 PM–3:00 PM

Ministry Leaders’ Panel

Ben Shin
Stan Sonu
Sandhya Oaks

3:00 PM–4:00 PM

In-Person Poster and Networking Session
Storytelling Workshop
Virtual Lounge Discussions

Saturday, April 11

Location: Biola University, La Mirada, CA

Time
Session
Presenter

8:00 AM–9:00 AM

Registration and Breakfast
Virtual Lounge and Exhibitor Booths open

9:00 AM–10:00 AM

Workshop 1
“Healing the Asian American Family: Practices for Repairing Generational Rupture”

Tansy Kadoe

10:00 AM–10:30 AM

Coffee Break
Virtual Lounge Discussions

10:30 AM–11:30 AM

Workshop 2
“Church Culture and Mental Health: Building Congregations That Support Well-Being”

Alex Chang

11:30 PM–1:00 PM

Lunch (included in registration)
Virtual Lounge Discussions from 11:30–12:00

1:00 PM–2:00 PM

Workshop 3

2:00 PM–2:30 PM

Break
Virtual Lounge Discussions

2:30 PM–3:30 PM

Spiritual Formation Panel

A closing conversation on spiritual formation, psychiatric and psychological care, and the future of healing practices in Asian American Christian communities.

Dave Wang
Thomas Okamoto
Ciin Kham

The Venue

Andrews Banquet Room

This conference will take place in Andrews Banquet Room, located in Talbot East at Biola University. Many thanks to Biola University for hosting the Asian American mental health conference this year!

Address
Talbot East, La Mirada, CA 90639