Folktales in assistance of cross-culture therapy: cultural mental prototype of motherhood in Russian folktales

The paper presents a unique application of Jungian interpretation on folktales in order to understand the mother prototype in cultures. The cultural context of motherhood and maternal role is crucial to a therapist understanding of the culture backgrounds of patients in cross-culture therapy. The mother figure is the focal point of this interpretive reading and allows the reader to view the mother as culture complex. As an example of applying this interpretation, the research analyzes 10 Russian folktales, including an analysis of archetypes, and an analysis of 4 aspects that represent the mother: the feminine aspect portrayed by the female folktale characters; the introvert masculine aspect portrayed by the masculine characters; the mother's elementary aspect that nurtures the child; and the transformative aspect that drives the child to change. The latter two are represented by interactions between characters. Insights derived from this research contribute to culturally sensitive therapy.