Brad Graham – Collaborative Careers
“I truly trust in the process. As a result, my clients trust in the process, which allows them to intrinsically impact their career and life decision making process”
In my private practice, Collaborative Careers, I work with individuals in all ages and stages in the midst of career and life transitions. I assist clients in gaining clarity around who they are, aid them in exploring future-potential careers, and support them in going after their newfound possibilities.
Challenge
Early on in my work, I really struggled to make sense of how career-development theory and its applications function within individuals. After years of working with CareerCycles and its holistic approach and integrating other assessments into the process, I was able to take the pressure off of myself to be solely responsible for the change that happens in my clients. Even though I still have so much to learn as a practitioner, I truly trust in the process. As a result, my clients trust in the process, which allows them to intrinsically impact their career/ life decision making process.
Solution
The HEROIC Narrative Assessment from OneLifeTools allows clients to tell their own story. In turn, relying on individuals to come up with their own conclusions about future-potential careers allows for growth, awareness, and ownership around their career and life. Unlike computer generated assessments, which can add value, the HEROIC Narrative Assessment uses the clients language, thus providing ownership and clarity around one's own situation. As counselors, we can guide individuals through this process, providing key insight with limited “advice” giving or directive modes which can create friction or mistrust within the therapeutic relationship.
"My goal in working with clients isn’t to make their career or lives perfect. Instead, I use the narrative tools and methods from OneLifeTool to assist clients in gaining critical self-awareness and establishing intentions, and then provide them with resources to navigate the job-market with ease."
- Brad Graham, Collaborative Careers
Results
It’s often hard to quantify how something is helpful in a counseling scenario; however, I can only attest to the clarity and direction that individuals exude when they read their Career Statement back to me. The Career Statement is absolutely crucial to the future success and engagement in the process and sets a stronger foundation in which to move forward.
