Careers Guidance and Counselling in England

This article gives a brief background on the history and recent developments in career counselling for young children, high school students, unemployed teenagers, and university undergraduates.     

Computer-Assisted Careers Guidance Systems and Organisational Change

This article describes a study conducted to identify the range of potential influences that a computer-assisted careers guidance system (PROSPECT (HE)) had on the functioning of organisations (careers services in higher education). Data from six institutions indicated that use of PROSPECT (HE) was associated with important and varied change within the organisations. It appears that when a careers service seeks opportunities for change, CACG systems can be an important catalyst for change in two respects: by providing a focal point for achieving previously established goals; or, as a consequence of system use, by making staff aware of the potential for new organisational goals.     

Computer-Assisted Careers Guidance Systems as Decision Support Systems

'Decision support systems' are computer systems which are aimed at improving decisions made by managers. An examination of the literature on decision support systems suggests that there are similarities between these systems and computer-aided careers guidance systems. These similarities —and differences -are explored, and a number of ways in which each approach might learn from the other are suggested.     

Current Developments in Computer-Assisted Careers Guidance in the USA

Four factors associated with the design and use of computer-assisted careers guidance (CACG) systems in the USA are reviewed, and likely future developments in the field are described. The four major factors include trends in CACG system development, problems related to system development, trends in system use, and problems related to system use. International collaboration in the design and use of CACG systems is identified as one possible strategy for dealing with problems in this area.     

The New Careers: A Book Review

Book reviewed in this article: The New Careers: Indiuiduat Action & Economic Change by Michael B. Arthur, Ken‐ Inkson. and Judith K. Pringle     

Computer-Assisted Career Guidance and Single-Subject Research: A Scientist-Practitioner Approach to Accountability

In this article the author discusses how computer-assisted career counselors can become more accountable for their services by using intensive research designs. An overview of computer-assisted career guidance (CACG) is presented, and the relevance of the scientist-practitioner model is discussed. Applicable single-subject research, including simple and complex phase changes, alternating treatment designs, and replication are presented with examples for accountable CACG counseling. If your client has changed, how do you know it? —Jerry Schmidt To understand individuals, it is necessary to study individuals. —Leo Goldman     

Rehabilitation Counselling: The Development of a New Course Specialism in British Counselling

The introduction of rehabilitation counselling to the UK in 1990-initially as a diploma and now as an MSc—is described. The worldwide development of rehabilitation counselling from its beginnings in America in the 1950s is outlined, highlighting key areas of debate. Evidence of the need for rehabilitation counselling in the UK is presented, and the current course is described with reference to its integrative counselling approach and specialist areas of enquiry. The future development of rehabilitation counselling in the UK is considered, emphasising the need for this specialism as we move towards more holistic models of care.     

Counselling psychology in New Zealand

This article offers a brief overview of the history of counselling psychology in New Zealand. It describes current postgraduate study options and registration pathways as well as the institutions and organisations that provide legislative and professional membership and support to counselling psychologists in New Zealand. Data collected from a national survey in 2014 provide insight into the demographics of the profession in New Zealand, the theoretical frameworks that are utilised and employment opportunities that exist for counselling psychologists. The article also highlights the uniqueness of a cultural and contextual approach that aligns itself with New Zealand’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi/te Tiriti o Waitangi which is based on the principles of partnership, participation and protection. It concludes with the challenges the profession face as a new scope of practice. These challenges include establishing a professional identity in the mental health delivery system in New Zealand and responding to an ever increasing multicultural society.     

Counselling effectiveness: A critical discussion

Studies of counselling effectiveness are examined critically with respect to the measures they use, their methodological weaknesses, and problems of interpretation. The deficiencies of various measuring devices — including unstructured accounts, structured questionnaires, pre- and post-counselling ratings, physiological indicators, experimental investigations, and social actions effects — are discussed. Many of the experiments are criticised for poor design and over-interpretation of findings. Fundamental methodological problems are also discussed, including the extent to which the effectiveness of counselling can appropriately be examined by existing scientific methods. More knowledge of counselling processes is required before there can be any satisfactory measurement of counselling effects.     

Counselling with Biofeedback: A Review

Biofeedback increasingly appears to be used as an aid to specified counselling goals. A typical counselling situation using galvanic skin reflex (skin biofeedback) is analysed. The ethical and practical challenges involved in biofeedback-aided counselling are considered.     

New Careers Model Revisited: The Importance of Mentoring

The authors report a study that suggests the career paths of workers on short-term federal projects may be enhanced as a result of developing a relationship with a mentor through such projects.     

Counselling Psychologists and Counsellors: New Challenges and Opportunities

The next three or four years are likely to see the emergence of a new professionally recognised group of British counsellors. They will be known as counselling psychologists. The developments that will lead to the establishment of this new professional group are outlined and some of the ways in which counsellors and counselling psychologists may complement each other's work are examined. Some anxieties are voiced about how overlapping professional boundaries might produce friction between the two groups, and a few ideas about how this may be avoided or minimised are suggested.     

Pathways to Careers: A Videotape Review

Pathways to Careers produced by the Pennsylvania Occupational Information Coordinating Committee (POICC), Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry; Harrisburg, PA. 1994, 60 minutes, $15.00. A “Career Development Awareness Guide” accompanies the video.     

A personal view: Counselling and women

This personal view explores a number of gender issues relating to counselling and women clients. Attention is drawn to the lack of content of many training courses in the psychology, sociology and biology of women. Links are drawn between a woman's position in society and mental health. It is argued that counsellors need to be alert and sensitive to women's special needs and to avoid an emphasis on intra-psychic aspects at the expense of acknowledgment of societal pressures.     

Counselling in general practice: A review

The development of counselling has brought enthusiastic attempts to pioneer its application to a diversity of fields. One obvious target has been primary-care and the general practitioner's surgery, where there has been an increase in demand for help with 'life-problems' and a growing reluctance to prescribe drugs of doubtful benefit. The need for both time and expertise to respond appropriately has made counsellors welcome additions to many surgery teams. However, different professions and volunteer groups compete for the role; each cites evidence of its own appropriateness, rarely acknowledging, and never assessing, the contributions of others. Hence this attempt to bring together the findings of these disparate groups to demonstrate their undoubted similarities and to assess the value of 'counselling' intervention in general practice.     

Counselling supervision in organisational contexts: New challenges and perspectives

The need for a shared understanding of supervision is explored in relation to the supervisory role and organisational culture. It is argued that supervisors can be change agents within an organisational context but that the working contract needs to be negotiated carefully to safeguard the ethical interests of all parties.