young apcda keynote for posting it is...1 action –what it is and why it matters in career...

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Action– WhatItIsandWhyItMattersinCareerCounselling

RichardA.Young

[email protected]

Action- Whatitis...

Action refers to intentional goal-directed (but not necessarily rational) behavior.

It reflects how people understand their own and others’ behavior.

• DOING è ACTING è ACTION èACTION THEORY

Whyitismattersincareercounselling

• Career is composed of actions.

• Counselling is an action.

• Developments in psychology

• Integrates theory and practice

• We construct career by acting

ContextualActionTheory:TemporalStructure.

Actio

nSystem

s.

Long-termCAREER

e.g.,Workasasalawyerformanyyears

Mid-termPROJECT

e.g.,Completingandegreeinlaw

Short-termJOINTACTION

e.g.,Joiningafriendtostudyforanexam

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Levelsofaction

Goals,meaning

Functionalsteps

Consciousandunconsciousbehavior,resources,regulationprocesses

Thispresentation

• Careercounsellingpractice

• Action- Awayofunderstandingcareerandcounselling

• Careerresearch

Career Counselling Practice

Counsellor’s fivetasks

• Creatingandmaintainingtheworkingalliance• Identifyingprojectsandaction• Addressingproblematicactionsandprojects• Dealingwithemotionandemotionalmemory• Connectingwithdailylife

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TheCaseofDamia

• 23-year-oldfemalestudentfromMalaysia• ataCanadianuniversity• acceleratedEnglish-as-a-second-languageprogram• planstotransfertoanundergraduateprograminbusiness• askingherselfabouthersuitabilityforacareerinbusinessbecauseshesawherselfgettingangryandirritatedwithothersveryoften.

Thecounsellor,Ms.C

• aCanadianwomanofEuropeanheritage.• auniversitycounsellorfor12years.• ahumanistic,relationship-orientedapproach,• hasworkedcloselywithcontextualactiontheoryasthebasisforcounselling.

Importantfeatures

• Understanding counselling and guidance practice as goal-directed, intentional action

• Client’s life as composed of intentional actions, joint projects, and careers.

FirstCounsellingTask• anchoredintheculturalrulesandconventionsofpoliteness,goodmanners,empathyandrelatedactions.

• alliancedeepenswhenthecounsellorengagesinongoing,goal-directedcareers,projects,andactions-- co-constructedtosupportthegoal-directed,facilitator-drivenprocessoftheclient.

Creatingandmaintainingtheworkingalliance

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FirstcounsellingtaskintheCaseofDamia

• DescribingDamia’s experience

• YourcounsellingbeganbyMs.Cwelcomingyou

• feelcomfortable

• tellheraboutyourself,

• describingyourself

• listeningclosely,encouragingyou

• yourunderlyingconcernwastheangeryouwereexperiencing

• subsequentanxiety

• “Ican’tseemtodoanythingwithoutgettingmad.I’mafraidit’s

affectingmyschooling,andthekindofoccupationIwouldliketo

getinthefuture.”

• Thecounsellor’sperception

• tellthestoryofherlife

• askmorequestionsth

• culturaldifferences

• constructstories

• madeconnections

• presentedherselfasanagent

• whatwasworkingforherinthepresent.

Counsellor’ssecondtask• Providingaspaceforanextensiveclientnarrative

• Helpingtheclientframeitintermsofactionsandprojects

Identifyingprojectsandaction

Standardwaysofinterveningincareercounselling

• Personality • Skills

http://www.trans4mind.com/personality/EPQ.html&docid=iEsq-wqGx1xuaM&imgurl http://www.csc-ca.org/&docid=Yz_k-owMbrBkeM&imgurl

NarrativeConstruction

� Retrospective � Prospective

Picturecredit:http://www.hrexaminer.com/magazine/weekly/hrexaminer-v1-44

Picturecredit:http://blogs.ubc.ca/khagge/2011/10/10/the-impact-of-future-expectations-on-stock-markets/

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SecondcounsellingtaskintheCaseofDamia


• identifiedtheimportantactionsandprojectsinyourlife

• identityproject

• anticipateanidentitycareer

• destructiveactionsthatareinterferingwiththese

projectsandcareers.

• “ThisangerI’mfeelingisgoingtodestroythegoodthings

thatarehappeninginmylife.”

• youcouldn’tunderstandwhyyougetsoangry


• Ithoughtthatitwasveryhelpfulthatshe

couldseethesepatternsinherlife.She

resonatedwiththeideathatthesewere

herprojectsandcareers.

Counsellor’sthirdtask • Helpingresolveatthelevelanddomainthattheactionandprojectarechallenging

Addressingproblematicprojectsandactions

ThirdcounsellingtaskintheCaseofDamia


• specificproject

• nottobesoangrywithothers

• beingangryseemednormal

• “Ican’tseemtodoanythingaboutthesefeelings.

Myfuturewillberuined,Iamdisappointedin

myself.”

• standingintheway


• ItwasalmostlikeDamia hadtoomuchenergyforher

projects,thatthatenergywasrepresentativeofsome

unconsciousprocessthatmayhavebeoperatinginher.Her

projectandcareergoalsmadesensetoherbuttherewasa

disconnectbetweenthemandherangerandanxiety.Iwas

struckbywhatshesaidtheinsecondsession:“Allofthegood

thingsIaccomplishseemedtobewastedbecauseofmy

angertowardothers.”

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Counsellor’sfourthtask

Dealingwithemotionandemotionalmemory

1

Meaningful goal-directed Actions

Motivated participation in projects generated by actor and/or others

Life-enhancing career

At the level of meaning, goals (steering processes)

- 1 Shared action goals

- 2 Relevant to projects and career

- 3 Joint, goal-directed projects

- 4 Cooperative - 5 Emotionally

sensitive - 6 Relevant to career

and identity

- 7 Long-term meaning of life - 8 Socially integrated - 9 Emotionally

satisfying

At the level of control processes

n 10 Serving identity and goal processes

n 11 Emotional and cognitive components

n 12 Mid-term challenging

n 13 Successful steps n 14 Positive feedback

in cooperative undertakings

n 15 Emotionally functional

n 16 Long-term challenging n 17 Allowing predictability and novelty n 18 Attendance to emotional issues

At the level of action elements ( unconscious

and conscious behavior, structural support,

resources) and regulation processes

n 19 Energy n 20 Cognitive and

emotional regulation

n 21 Skills n 22 Habits

n 23 Adequate structural support

n 24 Predictable and manageable time order

n 25 Adequate emotional resources

n 26 Long-term adequate time and sequence

n 27 Structural properties

n 28 Resources n 29 Functional

emotional regulation

Emotionisexpressedbehaviorally Emotionininternalprocesses

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Emotionatthelevelofmeaning(motivation)

Picturecredit:http://www.sju.edu/blogs/china/wp-

content/uploads/2008/06/momchild.jpg

FourthcounsellingtaskintheCaseofDamia


• clear toyouthatemotionsandemotionalreactions

werecentral

• identifyingothermorepositiveemotions

• connectionbetweenyourtroublingemotionsand

theactions

• toearlymemories

• retellyourstoryinwhichyourangerandanxiety

becamemoreunderstandable


• Clearlyemotionswereanimportantpartof

counselling

• Didnotexpressverymuchanger

• showeduncertaintyandattimesanxiety

• identifiedpositiveemotions

Counsellor’sfifthtask •Whatistheconnectionbetweenwhatisaddressedincounsellingandtheclient’sdailylife?

• Constructingnarratives

• Invitingtheclienttomakesenseorprovideastructure

Connectingwithdailylife

FifthcounsellingtaskintheCaseofDamia


• stronglink

• betweentheangerandanxiety

• andlongertermsplans

• abletoactpositivelytoreachgoalsthatyou

have.


• Didmuchmoreinourcounselling

• howemotionswork

• identifyemotionsastheydevelopincertainactions

• tobeawareofthem

• toregulatethem

• addresssomeoftheresidualfeelings

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With regard to practice � 1. We consider counselling as joint

action.

� 2. We encourage joint action with others in counselling.

� 3. We help clients identify actual, present projects (based on goals, internal processes, and behaviour).

More practice

• 4. We incorporate narrative as a way of understanding.

• 5. We encourage journal writing.

• 6. We use regular follow-up by phone.

• 7. We review changes with a view to stabilizing them toward present/emerging projects.

• 8. Other …

Contextual Action Theory

Contextualactiontheory

• aconceptualapproachtogoal-directedbehaviourdevelopedinvocationalpsychology,counselling,mentalhealth,andhumandevelopment.

DOING è ACTING è ACTION èACTION THEORY

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Contextual Action Theory

Action Project Career

Goals/meaning

Functionalsteps

Consciousandunconsciousbehavior,resources,skills,habits

Identifying actions and projects

• “Becausemythoughtswereathomeonhowtokeepthefamilypeace,Ididnotconcentrateatschool,whichmadememissbeingpromoted.…Attheapprenticeship,mysuperiorexpectedthebestresultsfrommewhichIfailedtodeliver.Hetoldmehewasdisappointedandsincethentreatedmeasanyotherworker.”

Valach,L.&Young,R.A.(2013).ThecasestudyoftherapywithaSwisswoman.InS.Poyrazli &C.E.Thompson(Eds.),Internationalcasestudiesinmentalhealth. ThousandOaks,CA:Sage.

Example

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Career Research Counseling for the transition to adulthood as

joint, goal-directed action

Young, R. A., Marshall, S. K., Foulkes, K., Haber, C., Lee, C. S. M., Penner, C., & Rostram, H.

2011, volume 79, pp. 325-333. doi:10.1016/j.jvb.2011.02.005

FindingsThreeprojectswereidentifiedinthesesessions:relationship,identity,educational-vocational.

Identity

Relationship

Education-vocation

RelationshipProjectsCounsellor-client Clientinoutsidelife

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Educational-vocationalProjectEducationalandvocationalconcernswereoftenthepresentingproblem:

“Maybescienceisjustnotmything,butIdon’twanttochangemymajor.”

“I’mlost,Ican’tgetmyfeetfirmlyplantedontheground.”

Integrationofprojects

Educational-vocational “I’mlost,Ican’t

getmyfeetfirmlyplantedontheground.”“Ireallydon’tknowwheretofromhere[myinterestandtraininginphotography].”

Relatio

nal Referstosimilar

feelingsaboutboyfriend Id

entity “I’mreallynot

surewhatI’mallaboutalotofthetime/Iwanttofiguremyselfoutalittlemore.”

Integrationofprojects

“Ithoughtaboutjustthefutureandjobandeverything.”

“Iwantedto- Idon’tknow- rewritemypersonality”

Client:“Whatdoyouexpectmetosay?”Counsellor:“I’mnotexpectinganything.I’mjustlikeyou,I’mjust

waiting.”

Clientreflectingonviewinghercounsellingsession• “IwasthinkingthatIshouldstoptalkingaboutworkonceagainandstartfocusingonmemore,becauseIthoughtthat,youknow,thesessionswouldbemoreusefulformeifItalkedaboutmemore,butespeciallyatthatmomentIwas,Istartedtalkingaboutworkandspecificclients…Iwasthinking,‘Yeah,Ishouldstoptalkingaboutworkandstarttalkingaboutmemore.’”

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AdolescentCareerDevelopmentinUrban-ResidingAboriginalFamiliesinCanada

SheilaK.Marshall,RichardA.Young,AlisonStevens,WayneSpence,StewartDeyell,AdamEasterbrook,andMartinBrokenleg

December2011,Volume59,Number6

Cultureasfluidanddynamic

Situatingcareerwithin

culture

Opentoparticipantsexperiencesandactions

Naïveobservations

inlocalcommunities

Projectsovertime

Feedbackfrom

participants

Young,R.A.,Marshall,S.K.,&Valach,L.(2007).Makingcareertheoriesmoreculturallysensitive:Implicationsforcounseling.CareerDevelopmentQuarterly,56,4-18.

Jointprojects–Aboriginalyouthandfamilies

Navigatingtowardasafe

future

Negotiatingschool

continuance

Intergenerationalcontinuity

throughtraditionofcare

Familysurvival

Keytaskforcounsellors…

• How to best identify, intervene in and support the joint projects thatclients are engaged in that complements the ecological validity ofthese projects.

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Thank [email protected]

young apcda keynote for posting it is...1 action –what it is and why it matters in career...

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