The role of narrative, image, and dialogue in multi-cultural psychotherapy

This paper proposes an approach to multi-cultural psychotherapy, emphasizing the dialogical process in therapy and an intra-psychic process in individuals. The intra-psychic process of individuals finds expression in the basic elements of dialogue--narratives and images. These basic elements of dialogue-narrative and image--interpreted, amplified, and reflected on, in the therapeutic setting deepen the individual's understanding of himself or herself in relation to his or her particular situation and how expectations are met or not met in that situation. The process honors the cultural components of individuals by developing an understanding of what is meaningful to them, what they value, and what they find beautiful, as they form their narratives and interpret the images in them during dialogue with the therapist. The paper takes its point of departure from the multi-cultural theorists who emphasize issues, problems, and differences between cultures, and advocates an inclusion of an emphasis on the therapeutic dialogue between therapist and client, with attention paid to its aesthetic and spiritual components revealed in the narratives and images of the individual. The mutual exploration of the narrative and its images, how they meet and don't meet the expectations of the individual and their situation, provides the basis for an evolving understanding of their personal culture, and their cultural environment or situation. The paper presents culture as an evolving psychological process in individuals which develops through inter-personal dialogue in the unfolding of a narrative. This perspective allows the therapeutic process in the clinic to become a mutually enriching cultural process as well. The approach utilizes the work of multi-cultural theorists Anthony J. Marsella and Paul B. Pedersen. Marsella's explication of worldview differences as essential to understanding an individual's relationship to their particular culture provides the basis for using dialogue with attention to images in the therapeutic process to work with cultural differences. Pedersen's explanation of the Eastern Worldview underlines the principles for using narrative and image. The framework for understanding story and image derives from the work of Jerome Bruner on narrative function in folk psychology, and the work of James Hillman on image, in his archetypal psychology. After delineating five basic components of story and three basic requirements of attitude in the therapeutic relationship, which the therapist must consciously apply to the story, the paper applies case material to demonstrate its perspective. This precedes a discussion of the case as it required and pursued creative collaboration, equality, and openmindedness in a process of refinement of dialogue. It discusses the development of the imagination for elaborating images and narratives, and the spiritual and aesthetic aspects integral to working this way. The summary suggests the mutual enrichment of therapist and client gained by working with narrative and image.