Abstract: Posttraumatic psychological recovery is, in essence, psychology of the collective solving the problem of cultural exploration and construction, an issue in cultural anthropology. However, the topic of utilizing cultural experiences is being replaced by the simplistic doctorclient clinical model of providing treatments with psychological counseling. The longitudinal study of the indigenous cultural practice in helping children of Qiang, an ethnic minority group, achieve their psychological recovery post the traumatic experience in the disastrous earthquake on May 12, 2008 has indicated that mythic narratives in the Qiang cultural context can successfully turn the traditional culture into a variable in studies of mental health promotion. This local successful case underscores the significance of creatively utilizing indigenous cultural experiences in theory building and practice. First of all, it places an emphasis on the indigenous supportive evidence. Strategies to help children with cultural recovery are based on the large volume of past research on health promotion in the southwestern minority regions. The large volume of the evidence from that research area has produced strong evidence for the role of language. Culturally appropriate, effective interventions must be based on the psychology of a specific ethnic group and be directed by their cultural needs. Then it is possible to integrate the narrative strategy for behavioral change into the native discourse context. Secondly, children’s psychological recovery is, in essence, a promotion for rights and benefits based on extensive social exchanges or social links via mythic narratives by children. It is not a personal mental state devoid of real life expressed subjectively and individually. Thirdly, effective interventions must be based on the extensive participation and support by communities, including families, cultural chiefs, important community representatives, leaders of grassroots organizations, and peers. It is not just psychological counseling and individual exchanges independent of the indigenous cultural discourse context. Finally, it is contended that, in order to build indigenous experiences that are effective and appropriate, in addition to learning from the experience of applying Western theories to traditional cultures, it is important to go beyond the Western individualistic principle embedded in the psychological treatment strategies that has been greatly challenged in the Chinese traditional culture characterized of collectivism. This shows the urgency and importance for us to comprehensively correct the imported knowledge paradigm from an indigenous perspective.

Key words:  traumatized children ,  mythic narratives , cultural experiences ,  indigenous insight