The evolution of narrative identity in a “returning home” man: The psychological and cultural place of farming in the Chinese psyche

Objective This study attempts to illustrate the process of reconstructing adaptive self-identity by tracking the development of imagery in Mr. Z's dreams and sandtrays. Method The authors adopted amplification and Narrative Identity Process Analysis methods, and developed an Imagery NPCS tool to analyze the farming images in therapy sessions. Results It provided insights into Chinese culture from an applied, non-Western lens on identity theory. The subject of the study was a Chinese man who had lost his social identity due to stressful events, the results of which were reflected in the interplay between his personal narrative related to farming images and their cultural narrative framework. Conclusions The authors propose a practical mode of developing narrative identity based on the dynamic organizing principle of opposites which are united in a persona-shadow personality system. Development of an integrated narrative identity can be facilitated by the dialectic between the cultural narrative offered by the psychotherapist and the client's personal narrative.