The Transformative Self: Personal Growth, Narrative Identity, and the Good Life

by Jack Bauer

The Transformative Self explores three of life's perennial How do we make sense of our lives? What is a good life? How do we create one?

In this comprehensive volume, developmental psychologist Jack J. Bauer responds to those three questions by integrating three main areas of study--narrative identity, the good life, and personal growth--to present an innovative model of humane flourishing and human development.

The Transformative Self synthesizes an extensive range of scholarship, from scientific research in psychology to work in philosophy, literature, history, cultural studies, and more. The result is a cohesive framework for understanding how personal and cultural stories shape our development and how, through those stories, we might cultivate the growth of happiness, love, and wisdom for the self and others.

Genres: Psychology

695 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 28, 2021

About the author

​Jack J. Bauer is a Professor of Psychology and past Raymond A. Roesch, S.M., Endowed Chair in the Social Sciences at the University of Dayton. His research focuses on narrative identity, personal growth, and human flourishing, exploring how individuals construct life stories that foster a sense of meaning and well-being. He is the author of The Transformative Self: Personal Growth, Narrative Identity, and the Good Life, which delves into the processes through which people achieve personal development and a fulfilling life. Dr. Bauer earned his Ph.D. in Developmental Psychology from The Catholic University of America. His work has significantly contributed to the understanding of how personal narratives and growth-oriented goals influence overall life satisfaction and virtue.