ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the evaluation of a Chinese couple to illustrate the tension in many couples in this time of rapidly changing cultural expectations in China. It demonstrates the use of Fairbairn’s description of the psyche as composed of multiple parts of self and object in relation, and the couple’s use of mutual projective identification to help to psychotherapists understand the couple and their cultural dilemma. In evaluating a couple who sought treatment from one of psychotherapists, they employ Fairbairn’s concepts of psychic organisation and the concept of projective identification to understand the matters. The social system and special cultural atmosphere also influence the unconsciousness and the developing mind, because they form equivalent unconscious social objects that make up and then are in resonance with each person and each couple’s social unconscious. This social unconscious makes an impact on all identifications, which in turn influence the development of the couple and the whole of society.
