What if a guidance counsellor was the solution?
Psychological distress, feelings of exhaustion, sadness, discouragement and an increase in substance use problems are just some of the effects the pandemic and its lockdown have had on our youth. Another consequence we think less about is the significant impact on young people’s identities and, above all, on their developing professional identity.
The impacts of the lockdown
According to Valérie Cohen-Scali, professor of career guidance psychology at CNAM, the following effects of the lockdown on young people have been observed:
- An increased feeling of uncertainty regarding their future plans.
- A growth in social isolation, a phenomenon exacerbated by telework and remote learning.
Young adults also exhibited more intense anxiety than older subjects during this period of lockdown. (Z. Kettani, 2020).
In light of all these elements, we believe that the need for career counseling services is more urgent than ever, but unfortunately still too little known to the general public.
The career counselor is the professional best suited to help your young person get through this difficult period and to help them plan their future. In its statement of social relevance, the Ordre des conseillères et conseillers d’orientation du Québec (OCCOQ) states that through their expertise in the individual-work-education relationship, career counselors aim for personal and professional well‑being by mobilizing people’s potential and helping them take their place in society throughout their lives.
In short, the career counselor will work with your young person to explore their difficulties, help them better understand themselves, and take informed, mobilizing actions for change.
The assessment in career counseling
In their assessment, they will take into account several elements related to the person’s functioning, their various resources, and the environment in which they operate. One can think of elements related to self-knowledge, values, temperament, experiences related to school or work, the person’s abilities, potential diagnoses that might be present, and how these impact the young person’s choices.
These elements are important to consider so that your young person can arrive at satisfying choices throughout their educational and professional journey. One of Familio’s advantages is that we are fortunate to have a diverse interdisciplinary team. The career counselor will then be able to work in collaboration with the clinic’s various professionals to support your young person if needed and to ensure they make coherent and realistic choices.
The role of the parent
As parents, you also play an essential role in helping your young person find their direction, and the career counselor can provide you with tools in this regard.
Take the time to talk with your young person and ask them questions about their interests and aspirations. Take an interest in their choices and try to understand the motivations behind them without judgment. Help them explore careers or training programs. Among other things, you could take them to an open house at a school, help them meet a professional in your network who works in a job that interests your young person, or help them find an observational internship (job shadowing) in a company.
A site entirely dedicated to parents who wish to equip themselves to better support their young person in their educational and career guidance has been created in collaboration with the Fédération des comités de parents du Québec and the Ordre des conseillers et conseillères d’orientation du Québec : www.espaceparents.quebec
Visit it; you will surely find plenty of relevant information there!
Never forget that gaining clarity about one’s future and having a project to hold on to can notably help reduce anxiety and foster your young person’s motivation for studies. And because parents can also experience doubts and questioning related to work, know that career counselors also help adults with their professional difficulties! These guidance services for youth and adults are offered by our qualified professionals in person or via telepractice at Familio.
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