Dr. Kim is an Associate Professor in the Department of Clinical Counseling and Mental Health at Texas Tech University Health Science Center. He is also Adjunct Associate Professor affiliated with Department of Surgery, School of Medicine and a member of TTUHSC Alpha Eta Honor Society. Dr. Kim earned his master’s and Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Psychology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Dr. Kim had served as a First Lieutenant in the Republic of Korea Army when he volunteered to diffuse a bomb in 1997. The resulting explosion led to years of intensive rehabilitation for burns, amputation, and hearing loss, and he finally became a man of national merit.

Dr. Kim is the founder of Virtue-Based Psychosocial Adaptation Model (V-PAM). Traditional theories in psychosocial adaptation to chronic illness and disability (CID) have focused on examining innate psychological disposition such as personality. However, in V-PAM, the emphasis is given to virtue, in other words, one's pursuit of excellence and commitment after the onset of CID. From this perspective, adaptation to illness and disability is viewed as a positive by-product of having endured adversities while transforming them into insightful opportunities for renewal. Thus, adaptation is no longer determined by innate dispositions; rather it can be nurtured via the collaborative counseling process. V-PAM is also one of few adaptation models that provide its own assessment tool, Adapted Inventory of Virtues and Strengths (AIVS).

Dr. Kim has a solid publication and grant-getting record and is well known for his work in positive psychology. He has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on multiple research projects which have together received approximately $6 million in funding.

Awards

Dr. Kim has been honored with the following awards :

Year	Award
2019	Best Research of the Year. Korean Counseling Psychological Association. Jeon, J., Shin, J., Choi, J., Kim, J.H., & Lee, D.H. A grounded theory study of the grieving parents of bereaved parents after the Sewol Ferry Disaster. The Korean Journal of Counseling and Psychotherapy. 31(1), 1-48
2018	Nominated for 2018 American Rehabilitation Counseling Research Award Kim, J. H., Gonzalez, R., Hawley, C., McMahon, B. T., Lee, D. H., Lee, J. H., Johnson, K., & Lee., Y. W. Resilience from a virtue perspective: Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin. DOI: 10.1177/0034355217714995 (SSCI Journal)
2015	2nd Place. American Rehabilitation Counseling Association Research Award. Chan, Y. C., Wang, C. C., Ditchman, N., Kim, J. H., Pete, J., Chan, F., & Dries, B. State unemployment rates and vocational rehabilitation outcomes: A multilevel analysis. Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin. 57(4). 209-218. DOI: 10.1177/0034355213509855
2011	IPA 2011 Diversity Award Miller D. & Kim, J. H., Character Strengths and Virtues in Relation to Well-Being in Gay and Lesbian College Students. Indiana Psychological Association