On Her Own Again: The Use of Narrative Therapy in Career Counseling With Displaced New Traditionalists

Abstract

Although there have been significant increases in the number of women participating in the workforce in recent years, many females continue to choose the role of full-time wife and mother as their life's work. Because 12% of women become widowed and the divorce rate remains steady at about 50%, a number of these stay-at-home mothers are ultimately forced to reenter the workforce to support themselves and their children. Some of these individuals may have minimal education or outdated job skills and many have a variety of psychological, emotional, and physical concerns because of losing their spouses. Because of these factors, the task of reentering the workforce can be a difficult one. Counselors who work with family issues should be able to address work-related issues as well. In doing so, narrative career counseling can be utilized as an effective approach in assisting these mothers with the exploration of new career paths. A case example and implications for clinicians are provided.