Professional Identity Development Through Embodied and Reflective Practice

Professional identity development is a multifaceted process shaped by a combination of cultural values, social expectations, and personal experiences. While transformative learning and experiential learning methods have been extensively studied, the role of embodied and reflective practices, particularly in cross-cultural settings, remains underexplored. This study examines the transformative processes experienced by the researcher, a Japan-born scholar navigating her professional identity in the United States through an embodied learning approach. By employing an autoethnography-inspired method, the research study investigates how cultural and somatic dimensions intersect to help shape identity and leadership development, offering a deeper understanding of the potential for non-verbal, experiential learning to facilitate professional growth.