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.