Denver Career Counseling – The Process

How does the process work? While it’s not possible to outline the exact steps in this highly individualized process, here are some of the things you can expect from our work together:

If you are interested in talking to me about my career counseling services in the Denver area, please call and leave a message on my voice mail (720-339-4744).

When I return your call, we will have an opportunity to talk for 10 minutes or so at no charge. These introductory phone calls are important because they give us a chance to introduce ourselves and get a feel for whether working together might be beneficial for you.

If we both agree that it would be good to meet in person, we will set up an appointment time at my office (4340 E. Kentucky Ave, Suite 301) or on Skype or the phone.

In the first session, we typically get right into the process of addressing your concerns and the reasons you've come to career counseling.  We will talk about your goals for career counseling and collaboratively develop a plan. I will also give you some things to do and think about both during and after the session, so that you can remain an active participant in this process and feel that you are making progress.

Career counseling usually asks you to contemplate questions about yourself. I typically ask you questions during the session and then give you some more questions to think about and write down answers to before your next appointment. Not all the questions I ask are easy, but the difficult questions can often reveal the most important things.

Depending on your needs and desires, subsequent sessions may include:

• Conversations, exercises, and questions that can help you: clarify your ideas, goals, and values; figure out better strategies to cope with stress and anxiety; set realistic goals for the present while keeping an eye on your larger dreams;  understand the factors (both psychological and concrete) that may be standing in the way of the changes you want to make.
• Career assessments, when appropriate: I am qualified to administer the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Strong Interest Inventory, and the Career Style Interview (a holistic interview process that helps you clarify your interests and preferred work styles).
• Mindfulness practices to help you reduce stress and become more clear about your present-moment reality; mindfulness can be a very helpful tool not only in stress reduction but also in clarifying your desires and setting realistic goals.
• Dream work: Dreams can bring up some very interesting information, and you might choose to explore them in your sessions.
• Exercises with art, music, or nature to help you reduces stress and connect with your deeper values and with the world.
• Resume and cover letter preparation and review to help you confidently “tell your story” to potential employers.
• Helping you develop a strategy for job networking.
• Interview preparation.

“Can you help me find a job?”

As you are undoubtedly aware, many people in the Denver area and throughout the country are having a difficult time finding jobs these days. I am not going to put on a falsely upbeat attitude and tell you that it will be easy for you to change jobs right now. With that said, this is an excellent time to be planning for a future career move, as well as a great time to consider how you might transform your career and life into something that feels more fulfilling and personally sustainable. Even if it takes a while to get things together, this is a very good time to start. You might consider the economic downturn as an opportunity to step back, reflect on your life, and take the time to figure out what will truly fulfill you down the road.