Discussion
An essential counseling skill I learned in 505 that is being applied in the video is minimal
encouragers. Minimal encouragers are crucial because they indicate to the client that the
counselor is listening, engaged, and comprehending what they are saying (Young, 2021).
Throughout the video, the counselor is leaning forward, nodding, making eye contact, and using
verbal indicators. The counselor also utilized the skill of open questions appropriately. The
counselor did not phrase the questions in a way the client would feel interrogated, nor did she
ask so many questions that she would be distracted from listening (Young, 2021). The counselor
utilized questions to understand further the client's background, such as her current occupation
and insight into her family career dynamics.
A client's past decisions may inform my work as a career counselor because their past decisions
indicate what the client enjoys doing, what they feel they need to do, the type of life they want to
have, and where they are coming from. Many of the theories discussed in Career Development
Interventions incorporate environmental and experiential elements, which can significantly
influence the choices one makes in their profession. To best help clients, a counselor must
understand where they are so they can best help them get to where they would like to be.
In the video, Erika expressed that she was raised in a home with parents emphasizing
education and fiscal responsibility. Her father was raised in poverty and had worked hard to get
out of his circumstances to make himself successful, and he succeeded by becoming a Dentist.
Erika's mother also succeeded in the health industry. Erika's parental influences had a deep
impact on her and shaped her beliefs regarding what is a suitable profession. Although she
grew up enjoying the arts, she went into the health field after college.
If I had a client like Erika, I would explore careers requiring language, art, music, drama, dance,
or writing with them. John Holland's Theory of Types and Person-Environment Interactions
supplies a connection between diverse personality attributes and complementary employment
titles (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2022). Erika suits the artistic type; not only is it what she enjoys
doing, but there is reason to believe that she is at a crossroads because she is not in an
environment that allows her to be ambiguous, free, or utilize any creative thinking or problem-
solving. Exploring the artistic type career route will not only be enjoyable for her, but she will
likely thrive in that environment.
References:
Young, M. E. (2021). Learning the art of helping: Building blocks and techniques (7th ed.).
Merrill/Pearson.
Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. A. E. (2022). Career Development Interventions (6th ed.).
Pearson.
Reply 1
Hi Maria,
You did a great job acknowledging the core counseling skills the counselor utilized in the video,
such as paraphrasing, confrontation, and reflection. However, what would you do next if you had
a client like Erika? I would utilize John Holland's Theory of Types and Person-Environment
Interactions to help Erika find a career most suitable to her personality attributes and
complementary employment titles (Niles & Harris-Bowlsbey, 2022). This would help Erika
develop career options that best suited her personality and interests.
In the video, Erika acknowledges her interest in the arts and how she put it aside to find a career
her parents would approve of. In future sessions, I would dive into why she felt she needed to
follow their path to help her break free from living her life for them. By following what they
desired for her career, she neglected her interests, and rather than creating a path for herself,
she followed the path they approved of.
Exploring career options with Erika utilizing John Holland's Theory of Types and Person-
Environment Interactions would allow her to see the possibilities that she would enjoy, excel in,
and not leave. Suppose an individual does not enjoy their job or field. In that case, they are more
likely to leave it for something that fits their needs or interests, or if they have the opportunity,
they are likely to find a career that allows them to pursue their interest while serving their
financial needs.
Thank you for your post, and I look forward to reading more in the future!
Reference:
Niles, S. G., & Harris-Bowlsbey, J. A. E. (2022). Career Development Interventions (6th ed.).
Pearson.
