Week 4

          I found this article to be particularly interesting because it ended with a case study which perfectly illustrated the concepts that were discussed earlier in the reading. The idea of learning more about the client by asking him or her to discuss role models is something that I have spent a lot of time thinking about even before reading this article. I think this is a really good way to get to the client’s core values and beliefs. I do think some people are more impacted by role models than other people, but investigating this will likely lead to very important information (Savickas, 1995). I believe part of the reason this is a good method is because it allows the client to talk about his or herself without directly talking about his or herself. In other words, whatever they say about the role model is their direct interpretation of that person, which in turn tells the counselor a lot about the client. For example, a person who idolizes a certain political figure for being a strong leader and skilled speaker is likely someone who values leadership and oratory skills. These are qualities they might not yet have, but they are likely to be highly desired in the person. The client reveals a desire to lead without directly saying it.

          Another question that can be posed using Savickas’ (1995) method is asking clients what haunts them. This is a powerful question and is by no means something that should be opened with at the start of a session. By the point in the interview when this question could be posed, the counselor should already have some opinions formed regarding the client and the situation, but the answer to this question will either validate those opinions or lead the counselor to revise those opinions in order to reach the true core of the issue.

          When the strategies of asking about role models and investigating the fears of the client are used in conjunction there is a high probability that the counselor will know a lot about the client’s thoughts and feelings, which should ultimately lead to a solution that will satisfy the client. I could not help but examine my own role models and fears when reading this article. The three most influential role models in my life are very similar in their lifestyle and the way they conduct themselves. If a person knows my role models and has an idea of how I live my life, they would certainly see the influence. For a career counselor, this could help them narrow down a list of careers that would satisfy the characteristics that I value as a result of my role models. A counselor knowing my deepest fears would also understand the reasons behind some of my decisions and would thus have a broader understanding of me as a person which can only lead to a more informed decision about how to approach the counseling.

References

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

Development Quarterly, 43(4), 363-373