Narrative career counselling: theory and exemplars of practice

Abstract

This paper provides an overview of narrative career counselling, which is presented as a predominant variant of constructivism. Constructivist theories have relatively recently emerged as a significant force within vocational psychology and the practice of career counselling. The Systems Theory Framework and the Theory of Career Construction are introduced as theoretical frameworks amendable to constructivism and narrative career counselling. Whilst a stable definition of narrative career counselling cannot be presented at this stage in its theoretical and technical evolution, core theoretical tenets of this new approach to counselling are presented. Exemplars of the practice are described to provide an introductory account of the process of narrative career counselling. Some of the limitations of the approach are described along with a recommendation for the development of theory and research that adequately addresses counselling outcome and process.