Constructivist Approach

The constructivist career counseling process is based on the life story of the client.  It goes beyond the role of worker and career decision making.  Clients explore a variety of life roles and their own beliefs. 

There are seven career counseling techniques:  life space map, life line, life-space genogram, life role cycles, life roles assessment, life role analysis and goal map.

Clients create their own personal meanings and these can be seen in experiences, both past and present, in a variety of life roles.  Counselor assist the client in exploring and discovering their life story.

1. Life space map:  drawn by the client on paper based on prompts by the counselor.  This is discussed as it relates to the client’s relationship to those people represented in the drawing.
2. Lifeline technique- used to discover the client’s story, both past and present.  Events, people, and perceptions are graphically illustrated and they will bring out themes and give meaning to the story.
3. Life-space genogram- illustration of three generations of the client with perceived life roles.
4. Life roles circles- determines what life roles are and assists the client in determining which ones he or she has experienced. 
5. Life roles assessment- client is engaged, the counselor asks questions to identify values and beliefs. 
6. Life role analysis- looks at the benefits and costs of role expectations defined by culture and gender.
7. Goal map- specific, organized goals that provide a road map of behavior that connects the past to the future.  

Gottfredson's Theory

Theory of circumscription, compromise, and self-creation.

This theory was developed to determine why children create social barriers before they every experience them.

Compromise involves making changes to career choices due to things such as gender, prestige, and interests.

Compatibility is determined when the client examines the perceived gender appropriateness, occupational prestige, and how well the career will meet client's needs and desires.

Circumscription occurs when certain unacceptable occupations are eliminated based on gender and prestige.

The circumscription process includes five principles:

1) The capacity of children to understand and organize complex information about themselves and the world around them.
2) Occupational preferences are linked to one's sense of self
3) Children begin to struggle in regards to distinctions among people
4) Children eliminate certain careers as their self concept gets more complex
5) The process is gradual and not obvious immediately

Tiedeman, Miller-Tiedeman, & Liptak

This career decision theory is based on a more personal approach. 

Personal Reality:  this is what the client thinks is right
Common Reality:  this is what everyone else thinks the client should do

Think of it this way, personal reality is the client saying "I want to be a teacher".  Common reality is the client's family thinking he/she should be a doctor. 

There are two major stages in this theory:  1) anticipating and 2) adjusting

The anticipating stage is divided into four phases:  exploration, crystallization, choice, and clarification.  These stages do not necessarily come in this order.

Exploration:  client explores how he will reflect himself
Crystallization:  client's thoughts become more stable
Choice:  choice may come through crystallization, clarity and complexity varies
Clarification:  client reviews the choice and gets clarification of the options

The adjusting stage comes after a choice is made.  The adjusting stage has three phases: 1) Induction, 2) Reformation, and 3) Integration

Induction:  client implements the change
Reformation:  introduction of client into a group and how well they are received
Integration:  Individuals accept one another and excitement may wear off about the new choice

Schlossberg's Adult Career Development Transition Model

 

 

There are three major parts to this theory.

 

Part 1:  Focuses on approaching transition

Part 2:  Focuses on coping resources

Part 3:  Focuses on strategies that can help take charge of the transition

 

 

There are three types of approaching transition:  1) anticipated, which is expected and part of the life cycle (college graduation), 2) unanticipated, which is not expected and caused by things that aren't predictable (layoff), 3) nonevent, which was anticipated and planned but did not actually occur

 

During the transition process, there are several phases:  preoccupation with the transition, disbelief, feeling of betrayal, being confused, being angry, and then resolution.

 

The resolution is different for most every client and depends on their characteristics and which type of transition has taken place.

 

There are four factors that impact how a client deals with the transition:

 

 

1) The situation: trigger, timing, source, role change, duration, previous transitions, other stress

2) The self:  client's personal and psychological state

3) Support:  family, personal relationships, friends

4) Strategies:  seeking information, action, prohibiting action