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We Are Made of Us: Uncovering Our Hidden Family Dynamics, Rewriting Our Stories, and Returning to Ourselves
Not yet published
Expected 20 Oct 26Lessons from a hospital chaplain on family, trauma, and love
Working with the ill, injured, and dying at a level 1 trauma center, J.S. Park has seen it all, from shocking confessions to deathbed reconciliations. One thing he’s When it comes to family, even the most “well-adjusted” person can fall into unhealthy patterns. Secrecy, guilt, and fear can make changing our family dynamics feel impossible. But we are not doomed to repeat the same cycles over and over. We can rewrite the next chapter of our family history.
In We Are Made of Us, Park weaves together stories from his chaplaincy and upbringing with evidence-based research and trauma-informed care principles. And as the son of Korean immigrants who has provided counsel to people from all walks of life, he brings to bear diverse cultural perspectives on healing, community, and liberation. The book explores three concentric circles of
family of origin (the family we were raised in)chosen family (the community we surround ourselves with)family beyond (the people we’re connected to from beyond the grave, across oceans, or by ancestry)
No matter who you are or how complicated your family is, We Are Made of Us is here to provide the comfort, insight, and strength you need to decode your origins and come home to yourself.
Working with the ill, injured, and dying at a level 1 trauma center, J.S. Park has seen it all, from shocking confessions to deathbed reconciliations. One thing he’s When it comes to family, even the most “well-adjusted” person can fall into unhealthy patterns. Secrecy, guilt, and fear can make changing our family dynamics feel impossible. But we are not doomed to repeat the same cycles over and over. We can rewrite the next chapter of our family history.
In We Are Made of Us, Park weaves together stories from his chaplaincy and upbringing with evidence-based research and trauma-informed care principles. And as the son of Korean immigrants who has provided counsel to people from all walks of life, he brings to bear diverse cultural perspectives on healing, community, and liberation. The book explores three concentric circles of
family of origin (the family we were raised in)chosen family (the community we surround ourselves with)family beyond (the people we’re connected to from beyond the grave, across oceans, or by ancestry)
No matter who you are or how complicated your family is, We Are Made of Us is here to provide the comfort, insight, and strength you need to decode your origins and come home to yourself.
- GenresSelf Help
256 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication October 20, 2026
About the author
J.S. Park
13 books227 followersJ.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, former atheist/agnostic, sixth degree black belt, suicide survivor, Korean-American, and follows Christ.
J.S. currently serves at a 1000+ bed hospital, one of the top-ranked in the nation, and was also a chaplain for three years at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.
J.S. has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida and a M.Div from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Some duties of a hospital chaplain include grief counseling, attending every death and Code Blue, help with end-of-life decision-making, notifying family members of loved ones in the ER, and advocating for patients and families in crisis.
J.S. is author of an upcoming book, As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve, part hospital chaplain experience and part memoir, published by W Publishing of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. He is also the author The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise, published by Northfield/Moody.
In 2012, J.S. gave away half his income to fight human trafficking.
It was a check for $10,000, which was matched to raise another 10k, for a total of $20,000 for charity. The charity was One Day's Wages.
J.S. currently serves at a 1000+ bed hospital, one of the top-ranked in the nation, and was also a chaplain for three years at one of the largest nonprofit charities for the homeless on the east coast.
J.S. has a B.A. in Psychology from the University of South Florida and a M.Div from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Some duties of a hospital chaplain include grief counseling, attending every death and Code Blue, help with end-of-life decision-making, notifying family members of loved ones in the ER, and advocating for patients and families in crisis.
J.S. is author of an upcoming book, As Long As You Need: Permission to Grieve, part hospital chaplain experience and part memoir, published by W Publishing of HarperCollins Christian Publishing. He is also the author The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise, published by Northfield/Moody.
In 2012, J.S. gave away half his income to fight human trafficking.
It was a check for $10,000, which was matched to raise another 10k, for a total of $20,000 for charity. The charity was One Day's Wages.
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Review of advance copy received from Author
We Are Made of Us is a rare gem and a balm. With expertise, compassion, and vulnerable reflections from his life and work, J.S. Park navigates us through healing alongside family in all its forms: our families of origin, our chosen families, and our progeny. Positioning trauma in the context of community, Park reminds us that we repeat what we do not repair, but also that in that repair, that breaking of cycles, we are buoyed by our communities and are never alone in the vital work of passing down a brighter future to generations to come. I will be returning to the wisdom of this book time and again.
Displaying 1 of 1 review