REWRITING THE SELF: ROLE OF NARRATIVE, IMAGINATION, AND CATHARSIS IN HOLISTIC MENTAL HEALTH PRACTICES

Abstract

The chapter investigates the integration of narrative methods with imagination and catharsis for healing mental health disorders that enhance emotional restoration and personal discovery. The present section illustrates how modern therapeutic methods match with Aristotle's theoretical principles including both mimesis and phantasia and catharsis. The narrative therapeutic approach enables patients to restore their self-control so they can recreate personal narratives while they separate from their life situations and bolster their ability to resist future stress. Imagination operates as a robust resource by enabling persons to creatively address dilemmas then emotionally process feelings through visual representations of treatment solutions. People gain psychological relief through catharsis as they simultaneously build better emotional intelligence.