Week 5

           I would like to begin, just like a few other classmates, and touch on a few of the topics that I found important from Joan Blades. I found it disheartening that women are still being underpaid compared to their male counterparts. Then on top of that, single mothers are being paid even less than other women. It was unbelievable that we are one of three countries that do not pay women on maternity leave. The other two countries are not as well developed as the United States either. Some countries and companies pay men leave when their wife or partner has a baby so that both mother and father can be home for their baby. I think that this is very important because we know that attachment to both parents is very important and bonding forms during infancy. I think that it would be interesting to read some of Joan Blades’ books that she authored and co-authored.
          

           The article by Guindon & Hanna (2002) had many case studies that were helpful in applying and seeing how synchronicity helped in the career paths of each of the individuals.  I liked how Guindon & Hanna (2002) used Jung’s definition of synchronicity as the “occurrence of a meaningful coincidence in time and it accounts for striking and apparently inexplicable occurrences that link two or more events, usually an inner thought or feeling and an outer event”.  Guindon & Hanna (2002) touched on synchronicity is a phenomenon that is primarily associated with the process of the unconscious.  I think that this aspect is key and evident in the three forms of synchronicity.  It is also evident through the case studies that it is an unconscious process because many individuals through their life are not consciously aware of what will bring them meaning in their life through their work.  I think that some of the counseling techniques that were given are also interesting and related to the unconscious level such as meditation, guided imagery, and dream analysis (Guindon & Hanna, 2002).  I think that this also relates to last week’s discussion of indecision because I think that some of the indecision stems from your unconscious.  I think that sometimes people get stuck in the work they are in because it is fulfilling a job but perhaps it does not have meaning.  I think that through synchronicity and the three forms someone through their unconscious will be pointed into the right direction through time.

Reference

Guindon, M. H., & Hanna, F. J. (2002). Coincidence, happenstance, serendipity, fate, or the hand of God: Case studies in synchronicity. The Career Development Quarterly, 50(3), 195-208