The Narrative Approach is a postmodern approach to career counseling developed primarily by Mark L. Savickas which helps a client create a narrative of their life in order to discover what they value most and the type of person they are. This in turn helps a counselor understand the “character” (client) of the narrative and helps guide them in the right career path according to their narrative’s plot, themes and goals.

Who was Mark L. Savickas? 

Savickas was the primary theorist behind the Narrative Approach to career counseling.

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Narratives are the primary method of counseling.  A narrative is composed of a beginning, middle and end with each section revealing an essential piece of what is important to the client.  The beginning reveals past wishes and gives clues as to a client’s personality, the middle reveals current interests and values and the end reveals future goals of a client.  All these pieces come together to form an ideal career choice or environment for the client. 

What are the main goals of counseling when applying the Narrative approach and how are they accomplished?

Like any other career counselor, a Narrative counselor wishes to discover the right career path for their client.   This is done through two main key constructs.  The first is that of obtaining a life history of the client which will reveal a client’s personality and their values.  The second involves creating not only a past and present narrative but a future one as well in order to understand a client’s goals and the direction they wish to see their lives going.  Upon completion of the narratives, a good counselor will be able to analyze the character (client) and help them find the right career choice for the client. 

True or False:  Much research has been dedicated to studying the Narrative Approach to career counseling.

FALSE:  Unfortunately, this theory has not been studied in depth and more research is needed.  The future does look bright, however, that as more theories emerge more studies will be applied. 

True or False:  The Narrative Approach is an effective approach to use in a multicultural setting.

TRUE:  The Narrative Approach encourages a client to explore their own values and motifs and helps them realize what is important to them.  It further helps clients understand their own personality and what type of career environment will work well.  The Narrative Approach can be used on clients of all races and genders because it is client-oriented. 

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