Personal storytelling and the metaphor of belonging

The author uses the idiom of autobiographical storytelling to explicate two important themes: How the complex phenomenon of 'belonging' results from the interactions of members of a nondominant group and those of a dominant group; and how the author himself has dealt with this phenomenon in his own developmental adaptation over the years. The concept of belonging is a cultural principle that should be thoroughly understood by mental health professionals if they are to deal effectively with the problem of cross-cultural adaptation.