Blog 4: Savickas Article

My first impression of the article this week was that the case study makes it sound easy.  I cannot imagine that things go that smoothly. If the father was not understanding of her new career choice how would this theory handle that discrepancy?   I would imagine it would be different from individual to individual but could this be applied to a collectivist culture.  Is there room for indecision once a decision is decided in a collectivist culture?  Surely, the group will make a decision for them (or already has).  I thought the case study made it seem like the counselor’s job is easy.  For example, translating the titles of the stories into syllogism seems out of my reach (Savickas, 1995).  How good are counselors going to be at applying this theory? How much practice is needed to be effective with a client?

I like the ideas and underlying ideology of the constructivist theory.  The way indecision was described as a pause, “a transformation in progress” (Savickas, 1995, p. 3) was a really positive philosophy to have on what is otherwise labeled as being negative.  This theory is relevant because at various stages in our lives decisions are made about career choice and development (Brown, 2012).  The more opportunity there is for decisions it would seem the more opportunities there are for indecision.  Therefore, it is essential that a more positive view is attached to indecision.  Looking at indecision from this standpoint means that the way we grow, move forward, and reevaluate ourselves is through our indecision (Savickas, 1995).

 At a point in my life I was undecided about being a clinical psychologist or school counselor.   Furthermore, I can recall in undergrad wondering what I would do once I graduated and what direction I should take. I remember being worried about making the wrong decision and wanting someone to just tell me what to do.  I talked with my advisor whom did not go into as much detail as this case study but elicited my train of thought.  She helped me realize what I really wanted to do once I lost my place and chose a new one (Savickas, 1995).

Individuals in times of career indecision may find a genogram useful in addition to using a life theme approach.  The genogram may allow the client to make connections to their past and elicit more family stories that the life theme theory needs in order to make sense of an indecision (Gibson, 2005; Savickas, 1995).  Furthermore, the use of a genogram may help the client and counselor collaborate on clarifying a theme and plot in the client’s life.  Both of these tools will help clients make self-assessments, recognize themes in their lives, and provide opportunities for career knowledge (Gibson, 2005; Savickas, 1995).

Unlike, Mitchell (1975), Tversky (1972), Vroom (1964), and Janis and Mann (1977), the perspective of this article is not interested in the difficulties of a decision or assigned values and consequences of each decision instead the perspective is focused on the actual person facing the career indecision (Brown, 2012; Savickas, 1995).

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development (10th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Gibson, D. M.  (2005). The Use of Genograms in Career Counseling with Elementary, Middle and High School Students. The Career Development Quarterly, 53, 353-362.

Savickas, M. L.  (1995). Constructivist counseling for career indecision. The Career

Development Quarterly, 43(4), 363-373