Essential Wellbeing & Career Counseling:

STRENGTHS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND PASSIONS

Presenter
Pamelia E. Brott, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, ACS Associate Professor of Counselor Education Virginia Tech Northern Virginia Center Falls Church, VA 22043 U.S.A. pbrott@vt.edu
Career Guidance for Social Justice, Prosperity and Sustainable Employment: Challenges for the 21st Century
International Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance (IAEVG) University of Applied Labour Studies, Mannheim, Germany October 3-6, 2012

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Clearly, what we know about finding a job and having a career is being impacted by the current economic climate. Therefore, we need to embrace a more dynamic definition of

CAREER. . . .

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that includes . . . .

Adaptability = adapt ability

readiness to cope with predictable tasks and unpredictable adjustments (Savickas, 1997)

positive uncertainty (Gelatt, 1989) good enough = good options rather than maximum benefit

Cultural sensitivity

What does it mean to you to be [single mother, female, Latino, unemployed]? person in context

Idiographic

emphasis on the individual ipsative = using yourself as the norm subjective constructions

Career = living ones life story

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In career counseling . . . .
Individual differences
traits & factors matching

Life roles across the lifespan

relating learning working pleasuring valuing

In context through
personal narratives

Ones whole life in the ever-changing contexts of life The individual, the environment, interaction, and change (Patton & McMahon, 2006) Personal constructs (Kelly, 1955)

meaning-making system making sense of the world interpreting our experiences

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Career Wellbeing
Essential Wellbeing
(Rath & Harter, 2010)

USE YOUR STRENGTHS

ENHANCE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS

SHARE YOUR PASSIONS

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Career as Story
The personal story that integrates the clients essential career wellbeing
using strengths enhancing relationships sharing passions

The process of living a life through the ever-changing interactions among ones life roles across the life span.
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Career as Life Story Narrative . . . .

Personal theme
Story of my life Unique story based on

career wellbeing

using strengths enhancing relationships sharing passions

(Brott, 2005)

Across ones life roles

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Life Roles . . . .
Relating
Learning Pleasuring
relationships: family, school, peers, adults
formal and informal; experiential; knowledge & skills play, activities, hobbies, clubs & teams

Working
Valuing

home & school; internships; employment

center of personality; authentic self; finding meaning; making a difference; actualization
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The Storied Approach

(Brott, 2001)

Co-Construction ~ discovering the story

client/counselor collaboration uncover the meaning-making themes across life roles strengths relationships passions

De-Construction ~ opening up space

looking for exceptions inviting others perspectives

understanding motivations & needs

revising schemas as ways of knowing

Construction ~ authoring essential career wellbeing

decisions to be made
actions to be taken barriers to confront + resources to support
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Opening

Determining needs

How can I be of use to you? When you leave today, what do you want to take with you?

Becoming collaborators

I would like to understand what has/not been working for you.

We are creatures of habit.we repeat our patternslets uncover and find meanings in those patterns to

use your strengths,

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enhance your relationships, and

share your passions.
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Co-Construction: Discovering the Story

Early Recollections Life Roles Themes in Play

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Early Recollections (Brott, 2004)

Place your birth date at the left edge of the line below and todays date at the right edge. Mark off on your timeline significant chapters such as when you started school, graduated from school, first job, etc. Think back to your childhood before the age of 8 and recall a distinct memory.something that you can distinctly recall but not what someone else has told you about. Please make notes or sketches in the space below and describe this memory in detail. What did you enjoy doing? Who were the important people? What were you passionate about? Recall two more distinct memories that have occurred in your life. For each of these memories, make notes or sketches below in reference to your timeline. What did you enjoy doing? Who were the important people? What were you passionate about?

My Life Story Timeline

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Life Roles
relating

(adapted from Brown & Brooks, 1991)

learning

working

pleasuring

valuing

On this side, draw five circles representing your current life role situation. The balance. Draw the five life role circles in size to represent the size of the circle represents the importance/time that you currently place in this importance/time that you want to be spending in each life role. Proximity life role. Proximity of the circles represents relationships between/among the of the circles represents relationships between/among the life roles in the life roles.

On this side, select a time in the future when you see your life roles in

future.

Todays Date:

Future Date:

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Themes in Play: Case Study

As Youth: Earliest memory of play: playing house Using dolls & pets to play school & mom Young career aspirations: Veterinarian, Teacher, Architect Early adolescent: crafts & home projects Teen job: babysitting As Adult: Masters in Special Education Part-time teacher/therapist Part-time stay-at-home-mom Interests: home decoration, baking & family
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As Youth: Earliest memory of play: digging tunnels Building with blocks, taking apart stereos Young career aspirations: Rock-Star, Super-Hero Early adolescent: music Teen job: construction As Adult: Bachelors in Physics & Music Full-time engineer: audio systems Interests: music, home projects & family

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De-Construction: Opening Up Space

Rsum Analysis

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Rsum Analysis (adapted from Osborn & Zunker, 2006)

De-construct the rsum

themes, preferences

List in detail job activities or duties Highlight those you enjoy

Cross out those you do not enjoy

Create a summary of likes and dislikes Prioritize likes What are your themes and preferences?

strengths relationships passions

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Construction: Authoring ^ Ways of Being

Goal Map (of career wellbeing)

Strengths

Relationships
Passions

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My Goal Map

Goal Map
(Brott, 2004)

My goal is to

My Strengths, Relationships, & Passions for Overcoming Obstacles ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Obstacles in My Way __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ __________________________________ My Career Wellbeing Strengths ________________________ Relationships _____________________ Passions _________________________

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Todays Date:

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Essential Wellbeing & Career Counseling:

STRENGTHS, RELATIONSHIPS, AND PASSIONS
pbrott@vt.edu

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