McSweeney, Joan (2024) Reauthoring my career narrative towards hope and agency twenty years in Adult Guidance Counselling Practice. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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Abstract

The focus of this research is seeking to reflexively engage with my experiences of the impact of recent rapid transformations in my adult guidance counselling practice, culminating in working with increasing numbers of migrant learners. Inquiring into these experiences of finding myself at a crossroads in my career after twenty years in practice, questioning if I can continue in the role. I chose a narrative inquiry self-study methodology to engage with my narrative of these experiences and how I had constructed this narrative in relation to broader organisational, policy and societal narratives over time. The lens of System Theory Framework, storytelling narrative career counselling approach and Narrative Therapy Informed Approach are used to identify these four key emerging, dynamic and recursive themes: changing context and its impact; social justice - a core value; recommitment to self-care; connectedness and collaboration in practice. Engaging with these themes enabled a process of reauthoring to a more agentic, hopeful narrative of my practice. This research has the potential to be useful for other practitioners navigating contexts requiring rapid transformations in their practice. And it points to the potential of using these narrative career approaches in working with clients also navigating career transitions over their lifespan. Recommendations for further research are offered including moral distress in the field of guidance counselling and relevant career adaptability skills for working in neoliberal environments.

Item Type:	Thesis (Masters)
Additional Information:	Submitted in part fulfilment of the requirements for the MEd in Adult and Community Education.
Keywords:	Reauthoring; career narrative; hope and agency; twenty years; Adult Guidance Counselling Practice; MEd in Adult and Community Education;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > Adult and Community Education
Item ID:	19084
Depositing User:	IR eTheses
Date Deposited:	21 Oct 2024 09:21
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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