Professor
Songyi Lee, Ph.D.
Affiliation & Position
- Professor, Department of Counseling and Coaching, Dongguk University
- Director, Graduate Program in Integrative Counseling and Coaching
Affiliation
- Dongguk University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
(A leading private Buddhist university integrating Eastern philosophy with contemporary education)
Editor-in-Chief, Asia Counseling and Coaching Review (ACCR)
Institutional Contribution
- Founder of the Department of Counseling and Coaching
- Founding faculty of the Graduate Program in Integrative Counseling and Coaching
- Academic leader in establishing and advancing the Dongguk Counseling & Coaching Research Institute as a hub for integrative, interdisciplinary scholarship in Korea
Education
- Ph.D. in Child and Adolescent WelfareSookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Republic of Korea — August 2007
- M.A. in Behavioral DisordersColumbia University, New York, USA — October 2001
- M.A. in Child WelfareSookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Republic of Korea — August 1999
- B.B.A. in Consumer EconomicsSookmyung Women’s University, Seoul, Republic of Korea — February 1996
Research Interests / Expertise
Counseling & Coaching Psychology
- Individual and group counseling for personal growth
- Coaching practice focused on meaning, values, and direction
- Development of university-based coaching systems and models
01
Positive Psychology & Happiness Studies
- Research on subjective well-being, life satisfaction, and resilience
- Strength-based coaching and flourishing-focused interventions
- Education for happiness, value clarification, and life purpose
02
Adult Development & Life Design
- Identity formation and reflective transformation in adulthood
- Career coaching, life transitions, and direction-setting
- Coaching for educators, leaders, and social change agents
03
Research Q Methodology
- Q Methodology: Typology of subjectivity and operant meaning-making
- Narrative Inquiry: Life stories, transitions, and self-construction
- Phenomenology: Exploration of lived experiences and inner meanings
- Action Research: Practice-based program development and field innovation
04
Application Fields
05
Research Highlight
Professor Songyi Lee
Professor Songyi Lee is a leading scholar in counseling and coaching psychology, recognized for her academic leadership and integration of research and practice. At Dongguk University, she founded both the Department of Counseling and Coaching and the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Integrative Counseling and Coaching, playing a central role in institutionalizing these disciplines in South Korea.
Over the past five years, she has published 60 peer-reviewed journal articles, including 23 in SCI/SSCI-indexed international journals and 35 in KCI-accredited Korean journals, and has authored or co-authored four academic books that bridge theory and practice.
She has led significant academic and community initiatives, including the Gyeonggi Women’s Leadership Academy, and serves as a Principal Investigator on national research projects funded by the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, contributing to the societal application of counseling and coaching.
At Dongguk University, she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses such as Positive Psychology Seminar, Q Methodology, Coaching Leadership, and Psychology of Happiness, nurturing the next generation of scholars and practitioners.
Her methodological expertise includes Q methodology, narrative inquiry, phenomenology, and action research. She actively promotes methodological diversity in academic research and is deeply committed to mentoring early-career researchers.