First published in 1995. Routledge is an imprint of Taylor & Francis, an informa company.

..."A practical and creative guide....The authors have expertly integrated theory, methodology and clinical application....One of the best compliments that I can give to a book of this kind is that it is stimulated creative thinking on my part!....The book is excellent." --"Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy"
..."a "must-read" for the practicing constructivist. Not only for the distinctiveness of its contributions, but also for the likely generativity of its method, "Self-Narratives" promises to make an enduring contribution to the rapidly developing field of constructivism and psychotherapy." --Greg J. Neimeyer and Chad Hagans, "Contemporary Psychology"
"The whole of the material covered in the book is one of the best examples of cultural psychology in its research (and practical) action....Aside from the wealth of practical examples of how one can study personal valuation structures, the reader will gain a general insight into how one can construct novel traditions of psychological research that unite theoretical and empirical sides of that process, with care for the phenomena, and rigor in the derivation of the data. The book is a refreshing voice among somethimes all-to-general discussions...." --Jaan Valsiner in "Culture and Psychology"

.,."A practical and creative guide....The authors have expertly integrated theory, methodology and clinical application....One of the best compliments that I can give to a book of this kind is that it is stimulated creative thinking on my part!....The book is excellent." --"Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy"
.,."a "must-read" for the practicing constructivist. Not only for the distinctiveness of its contributions, but also for the likely generativity of its method, "Self-Narratives" promises to make an enduring contribution to the rapidly developing field of constructivism and psychotherapy." --Greg J. Neimeyer and Chad Hagans, "Contemporary Psychology"
"The whole of the material covered in the book is one of the best examples of cultural psychology in its research (and practical) action....Aside from the wealth of practical examples of how one can study personal valuation structures, the reader will gain a general insight into how one can construct novel traditions of psychological research that unite theoretical and empirical sides of that process, with care for the phenomena, and rigor in the derivation of the data. The book is a refreshing voice among somethimes all-to-general discussions...." --Jaan Valsiner in "Culture and Psychology"

, .."A practical and creative guide....The authors have expertly integrated theory, methodology and clinical application....One of the best compliments that I can give to a book of this kind is that it is stimulated creative thinking on my part!....The book is excellent." -- Journal of Cognitive Psychotherapy

, .."a "must-read" for the practicing constructivist. Not only for the distinctiveness of its contributions, but also for the likely generativity of its method, Self-Narratives promises to make an enduring contribution to the rapidly developing field of constructivism and psychotherapy." --Greg J. Neimeyer and Chad Hagans, Contemporary Psychology

"The whole of the material covered in the book is one of the best examples of cultural psychology in its research (and practical) action....Aside from the wealth of practical examples of how one can study personal valuation structures, the reader will gain a general insight into how one can construct novel traditions of psychological research that unite theoretical and empirical sides of that process, with care for the phenomena, and rigor in the derivation of the data. The book is a refreshing voice among somethimes all-to-general discussions...." --Jaan Valsiner in Culture and Psychology

"This work is a significant contribution to the growing literature on the importance of the constructivist approach to personality organizations and clinical process in psychotherapy." --Steven Gryll, PhD, Northwestern University Medical School

"Hubert Hermans is one of the most creative theorists and researchers on the scene today in personality and clinical psychology. Hermans' ideas on valuation theory, the dialogical self, and the role of narrative in human lives have had a strong positive impact on the field and have inspired students and colleagues to emulate his commitment to a humanistic and rigorous brand of behavioral science. Now in Self-Narratives, he and Els Hermans-Jansen show us all how these rich ideas can illuminate clinical work and psychotherapy. Self-Narratives brings together psychological theory, the interpretation of myths and story, and the careful analysis of actual case studies to articulate a new and compelling vision of clinical work and psychological science." --Dan P. McAdams, Professor of Human Development and Psychology, Northwestern University

"In Self-Narratives: the Construction of Meaning in Psychotherapy, Hermans and Hermans-Jansen draw on their extensive experience as psychotherapists to present a comprehensive and systematic theory of the Self. Their theory draws attention to the integrating potential of narrative understanding to unite the disparate aspects of the self into an individualized whole. After drawing the implications of their theory for self-development, personal function and dysfunction, and cultural forms of self-meaning, Hermans and Hermans-Jansen describe how their theory is applied by therapists in working with clients. The therapeutic application of their theory, called the self-confrontational method, is fully presented in the final chapter, which is a manual for using the method. The Hermans and Hermans-Jansen book is a powerful and significant addition to the growing literature on the implications of narrative theory for the practice of psychotherapy." --Donald E. Polkinghorne, Ph.D., Professor of Counseling Psychology, University of Southern California

"This book shows the practical utility of scholarship and theory-building. It will be of particular interest to personality, clinical, social, and developmental psychologists. The authors focus attention on and provide a creative method for assessing the person's unique self-narrative that guides his or her life. They show how assessment of the self-narrative (and affect associated with it) can further the therapeutic process. The authors' aim is nothing less than the answer to the question: How do people grow psychologically and achieve personality change? A truly integrative contribution." --Irwin G. Sarason, Ph.D., University of Washington

"This is an important contribution to the growing appreciation of narrative and constructivist approaches to psychotherapy. The authors provide detailed procedures for helping clients to identify the values, meanings, and life stories that have shaped and continue to shape their patterns of experiencing. I recommend it highly." --Michael J. Mahoney, Ph.D., University of North Texas; University of Lisbon; Center for Cognitive Therapy, Rome, Italy

Hubert J. M. Hermans is Professor of Psychology at the Department of Clinical Psychology and Personality of the University of Nijmegen, The Netherlands. His work is concerned with human motivation, valuation theory, the role of narratives in human lives, dialogical self, and self-confrontation. He is first international associate of the Society for Personology.
Els Hermans-Jansen originally worked with adolescent boys and girls with serious behavioral problems. After finishing her studies at the University of Nijmegen, she became qualified in several psychoterapeutic and counseling techniques. She is acknowledged as a psychotherapist by the Ministry of Welfare in The Netherlands. She works in private practice in Berg and Dal, The Netherlands.

The person as motivated storyteller - basic metaphor; valuation theory - the self as an organized process of meaning construction; the self-confrontation method - constructing and reconstructing one's self-narrative; the nature of valuation - structure and process; dreams and myths - routes to the less conscious areas of the self; dissociations and dysfunctions; motivational characteristics of the self - lifelong development; summary and perspective; manual.