career development and counselling theories

Career Development and Counselling Theories

Employment Counselling Services Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour

COURSE 111

NEW BRUNSWICK

Training ProgramCOURSE TITLE PREREQUISITE

Course 111: Career Development and Counselling Theories

None

Course 121: Career Development and Counselling Process

Course 111

Course 131: Career Development and Counselling Challenges

Course 121

Course 141: Using Labour Market Information in Employment Counselling

None

Course 151: Facilitating Client Learning None

Course 211: Assessment Instruments Course 111

Course 311: Work Search None

COURSE 111 – Career Development and Counselling Theories – November 2010 2

Learning objectives and competencies

Relate models of personal development to models of career development; (C3.1.1)

Describe the main models and theories of counselling and career development; (C3.1.2; S3.1.1)

Name the main models of career change and transition; (S3.1.3) Explain the main components of career development; (C3.1.5) Identify the repercussions of social roles on career development;

(C3.1.4) Define a personal intervention approach, taking into account recognized

theories and models in the practice of employment counselling and career development; (S3.2.1)

Develop a continuous learning plan describing the activities to be undertaken to continue their professional development


“Experience without theory is blind, but theory without experience

is mere intellectual play.”

Emmanuel Kant


Career Development:Points to Remember

The development of individual identity is influenced by many factors

Each individual is unique and develops within a particular social context

Individuals are multi-potentialed and can work in many different areas

Each individual plays many roles throughout life The individual evolves in a world which is also

constantly changing and evolving


Overview of the theories

APPROACHES IN COUNSELLING AUTHORS

Reality therapy William Glasser

Rational-emotive Albert Ellis

Individual psychology Alfred Adler

Client-centred Carl Rogers


Overview of the theories… cont’d

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORS

Harmonizing approachesFrank Parsons: trait factorJohn Holland: person – environment

Developmental approaches Donald Super: lifelong career development

Constructivist approachesJohn Krumboltz: social learningVance Peavy: socio-dynamic approach


Overview of the theories… cont’d


TRANSITION AND CHANGE AUTHORS

Process of transition William Bridges

Process of change James Prochaska

Our itinerary for the next few days…


Day 1 and 2 Counselling Theories

Day 2 and 3 Career Development Theories

Day 3 and 4 Change and Transitions

Definition of counselling

Counselling is a way of entering into a relationship based on established principles and special knowledge in order to facilitate self-knowledge, acceptance and emotional growth and optimal development of personal resources. The final objective is to give the individual the opportunity to evolve toward a more satisfying way of life by increasing his or her own resources.

British Association for Counselling


Definition of counselling… cont’d

Counselling, a form of psychological and social coaching, designates a situation where two persons enter into a relationship in which one explicitly calls on the other by expressing a request that the other will deal with, resolve or assume one or more of the problems that concern him.

Catherine Tourette-Turgis in “Le counselling”, Paris, PUF, 1996, collection Que sais-je?



More specifically, in their book Essential Elements of Career Counselling, Amundson, Harris-Bowlsbey and Niles (2005, p.6) describe career counselling as a process by which a counsellor works in collaboration with a client/student to clarify, specify and implement his or her career-related decisions and to adjust them as needed. Career counselling also takes into account the interaction of different roles in life with work.



The central goal of career counselling is to help individuals make congruent work or career choices that will allow them to have a job, a career and a satisfactory life in a changing society.


Brown, S.D. and Ryan Krane, N.E., 2000

Theories of counselling

APPROACHES IN COUNSELLING AUTHORS

Reality therapy William Glasser

Rational-emotive Albert Ellis

Individual psychology Alfred Adler

Client-centred Carl Rogers


Alfred AdlerTherapy based on a feeling of inferiority

A feeling of inferiority is “natural” for a child This feeling disappears with the development of the

personality if the need for self-affirmation is satisfied If not, the feeling of inferiority becomes problematic

and may crystallize into an “inferiority complex” We seek to compensate for any feelings of inferiority


Alfred Adler

Therapy based on a feeling of inferiority…

The inferiority complex:• It is often unconscious and can lead to grandiose

achievements or asocial behaviour

Compensation may be:• Intellectual over-development in contrast to

• Physical under-development, or vice-versa


Alfred Adler


Inferiority may be:• Organic constitutional physical: accidental or

congenital physical limitation

• Conventional social: differences with respect to others (child who has red hair; wears glasses, etc.)

Inferiority pushes a person to engage in certain types of compensation


Alfred Adler


Examples• Physical inferiority: Johnny Weissmuller – Tarzan

(1904-1984): scrawny child, became a champion swimmer

• Conventional social inferiority: differences in race, culture, sex, age, occupation, etc.


Carl Rogers

Person-centred approach

Fundamentally positive vision of humanity Essential concepts for Rogers• Authenticity and congruence

• Empathy

• Unconditional acceptance of the client

• Confidence in the client’s capacity


Carl Rogers

Person-centred approach…

Notion of non-directiveness• The client has the right to choose his/her own

vital goals

• “The client knows what is wrong, in which direction she/he needs to look, what the crucial problems are and the experiences which have been deeply repressed.


Albert Ellis

Rational-emotive approach

Epictetus – Ellis’ inspiration• “What troubles men is not things but their judgement

of these things”

• “Death isn’t frightening, just our idea of death”

Irrational beliefs


Albert Ellis

Rational-emotive approach…

Examples of Irrational Ideas:• To be happy, I need to receive love and approval

from almost everyone around me for almost all of his present, past and future actions.

• Everybody has to succeed perfectly in everything he undertakes.

• It is useful and appropriate to blame yourself and/or to condemn others.


Albert Ellis


People’s negative feelings are generated by their irrational beliefs about the different situations in which they find themselves.

The approach plays on two levels at once• Emotions• Reasons

Ideas are one of the causes of emotions in adults


Albert Ellis


The approach is aimed at• Recognizing emotions, accepting them and verbalizing

them• Changing the cognitions (ideas) that are attached to

them

Succeeds in acquiring behaviours that are more favourable to attaining one’s objectives and reduces the intensity, duration and frequency of disagreeable emotions.


William Glasser

Choice theory/Reality therapy

In reaction to the Stimulus-Response theory based on the erroneous idea that motivation is external to the person.

Replaces the Stimulus-Response theory by the choice theory, which says that… “Human are motivated intrinsically by the well-being that comes from satisfaction of their needs.”


William Glasser

Choice theory/Reality therapy…

Needs underlying all our behaviours• Survival• Belonging• Power• Liberty• Pleasure


William Glasser


Any behaviour linked to satisfying my needs is chosen

The only behaviour over which I really have control is my own


William Glasser


Reality therapy Humans are responsible for their behaviours, not

society, heredity or their past history Humans can change and pursue a more satisfying

life Humans act intentionally in order to modify their

environment to make it conform more closely to the image of their needs.


William Glasser

Choice theory/Reality therapy…

Two components of the practice of reality therapy• Creation of a climate of trust• Use of specific techniques to

‣ Help a person discover what she/he really wants‣ Reflect on what he/she is doing now‣ Formulate an action plan to more effectively satisfy needs in the

future


Lifeline…

10 09 08 07 06 05 04 03 02

02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10

Positive experiencesNegative experiences

05

45

10

50

40

35

30

25

20

15

5560 plus

Age

Meaningful events or choices


Theories of career development

CAREER DEVELOPMENT AUTHORS

Harmonizing approachesFrank Parsons: trait factorJohn Holland: person – environment

Developmental approaches Donald Super: lifelong career development

Constructivist approachesJohn Krumboltz: social learningVance Peavy: socio-dynamic approach


Trait-factor and person-environment theories

Frank Parsons (1854-1908)• Father of career counselling

The theory unites• Traits: interests, values, aptitudes and personality

characteristicswith

• A work environment which is congruent (a “good fit”) with those traits

Parson, F. (1909). Choosing a Vocation.



According to Parsons’ the choice of a vocation assumes self-knowledge and knowledge of occupations

No one can decide for someone else A person can benefit from expert advice The counsellor’s role is to give clients accurate

feedback on their strengths and weaknesses



Three elements are central• Clear self-understanding• Knowledge of occupational requirements and

conditions for success, the advantages and disadvantages, the compensation and future outlook for different types of work

• A fair understanding of the relationship between these two types of facts – the application of reasoning to determine “fit” between person and occupation


Person-Environment Fit

John Holland (1919-2008)• Personality is a basic factor in career choice• Interest inventories are really personality inventories• People often have a stereotyped vision of trades• Different tasks require different workers


Typology describes persons, environments and their interactions

Different personality types look for work contexts or milieus than suit them

The six personality types correspond to six professional environments



Six personality types (RIASEC)• Realistic• Investigative• Artistic• Social• Enterprising• Conventional



Lifelong Career Development

Donald Super (1910-1994)• Career development is:

A continuous process (childhood to old age) Influenced by different situational (school, family, economy, etc.)

and personal (needs, interests, values, etc.) factors Composed of different roles (parent, spouse, worker, etc.) Experienced across life cycles, each implying a transition period


Lifelong Career Development

Interests are the results of a learning process and have been developed through activities that have been successful because of the skills and aptitudes of the individual

Aptitude determines the distance an individual will cover whereas interest indicates the direction he will take

Self concept as well as the concept of oneself as a professional develop through learning experiences


Lifelong career development


The career rainbow

Social learning

John Krumboltz (1928- )• 4 categories of factors influence career development:

• Genetic factors and special aptitudes• Environmental factors• Learning experiences• Competencies related to tasks


Social learning

From these four types of influence stem two categories of generalization:• Generalization about oneself• Generalization about the environment

These generalizations have an influence on what an individual can learn and on his aspirations and actions.


Social learning

An incalculable number of learning experiences combine to shape each person’s career trajectory.

Based on these experiences, people adopt behaviours that lead them to undertake their career (concept of action).


Socio-dynamic counselling

Vance Peavy (1929-2002)• Socio-dynamic counselling is a method of planning

one’s life. It includes the following three elements:‣ A perspective on contemporary post-industrial society and life

and on the social construction of self in contemporary society‣ A philosophy of the helping relationship‣ A series of counselling practices based on the first two elements.



The concept of career seen as a vocation is replaced by that of life seen as a career.

Problem-solving is seen as a “tinkering” process using the models that are the most appropriate to the client’s needs and in which both the helped and the helper are considered to be experts.



Socio-dynamic counselling does not look primary at changing people’s behaviour; it defines itself more as a process of “making sense”.

It’s goal is to mobilize intelligence and creativity to answer these two questions• How do I want to live my life?• What do I do now?


Daisy Theory

Part 1: (20 minutes) small groups• These groups are the same teams who were the trainer’s alter

egos during the presentations of the theories in career development‣ Read the case‣ Share your understanding of the case‣ Plan the intervention

Part 2: (40 minutes) large group• Case study

‣ Present the intervention plan by team‣ Identify the differences

Part 3: (10 minutes) feedback on the activity


Transition and Change

Transition and change are closely related Transition is associated with an event (losing

a job) or a non event (not getting an expected promotion) leading to transformations


Transition and Change

Situational perspective: event regarding a situation• Change is external and visible• Transition is internal and defined as the psychological

process allowing an individual to adapt to change

Developmental perspective: evolution of an individual during his/her life• Change is defined as a series of developmental cycles• Transition is defined as a boundary zone between two

cycles


Typology of life events that can trigger a transition

BIOLOGICAL EVENTS SOCIAL EVENTS

PSYCHOLOGICAL EVENTS UNFORSEEABLE EVENTS


Transition and change

TRANSITION AND CHANGE AUTHORS

Process of transition William Bridges

Process of change James Prochaska


William BridgesProcess of transition

Current state Desired state

Loss Renewal

DisengagementDisidentificationDisenchantmentDisorientation

Neutrality Action

Introspective reflection

Anxiety Confusion

(NEW BALANCE)(IMBALANCE)

RENEWAL NEUTRALLOSSES RENEWAL


James ProchaskaStages of change


Conclusion

Knowledge acquisition consolidation exercise

Taking Charge: online self-evaluation

Evaluation of how the training went

Thank you very much!