- through narration, life facts step out of their anonymity of chance and become
endowed with unique contextual and individual significance in a network of
characters, contexts and reciprocal effects; - narration contributes to reduction of intra-personal and/or group conflicts and
the solving of uncertainties; - client is encouraged in speaking explicitly of personal ambitions and aims,
without having remorse about the morality of the discourse; - personal identity benefits form a central place in the wider preoccupation
with developing an autonomous, creative personality, satisfied with its
performance in the world. Identity in relation to the situation and other
significant people is built through the vision of the narrator; - client willingly operates with successive choices in order to identify a
relevant, motivating story with personal development potential.
Disadvantages:
- there can be situations where a story has negative effects on the narrator; here
the counsellor must intervene that is interrupt or adjust the helping
relationship; - it may happen that a client should endlessly focus on an array of negative
experiences considered symptomatic and predisposing. Certainly, it is not out
of the question that these events should be real, but the image can hardly be
as simplistic or the interpretation one-sided. The counsellor must propose a
more balanced approach, wider perspectives, varied reference systems and
positive feedback; - the past is assimilated to a resource at the hand of the present and under the
control of the future. The counsellor must be able to ensure the ethical
integrity of the process and that of the client, to put life experiences to use for
the continual improvement of the client’s chances to find personal fulfilment
in or through work.
Bibliography
Amundson, Norman E. (2003). Active Engagement. Enhancing the Career Counseling
Process. 2nd edition. Richmond B. B., Canada, Ergon Communications, p.
161-164.