Can Vocational Counselors Change Society?

Career Development of Black South African Adolescents: A Developmental‐Contextual Perspective

“…This is particularly the case when policies that affect the well-being of clients are oppressive. Sinick (1977) suggested that counselors can responsibly contribute to changing the environments of clients (e.g., families and institutions) and that they can encourage their professional associations to facilitate change where necessary. Sinick cautioned, however, against using clients as the vehicles of social change.…”

The Career Status of Women and Minority Persons: A 20‐Year Retrospective

“…Social reform efforts are nothing new for NCDA. Sinick (1977) outlined five approaches career development professionals could take to change society including ones aimed at clients, environments, the counselor's employing institution or agency, professional associations, and individual actions as a citizen. His suggestions remain pertinent today and should be reviewed.…”

Evolution or Revolt? Role of the Change Agent in Psychology

“…Train a person in psychological theory and research, and suddenly a world disastrously out of tune with human needs is explained as a state of mind. (Caplan 81 Nelson, 1973, p. 202) While widespread counseling services in this country originated (in the form of vocational guidance) as a vehicle for social reform, they have remained grounded in a conservative, person-centered tradition (Caplan & Nelson, 1973;Sinick, 1977). This tradition has come under sharp criticism recently, with challenges to both the ethics and the effectiveness of such an individual-centered approach.…”

“…One major source of disagreement is the question of therapist politics. Moderates argue that it is inappropriate and unethical for psychologists to use their clients to advance their own political views (Lewis & Lewis, 1977;Sinick, 1977). They state that the therapeutic alliance must be preserved as a trusting relationship in which the client is free to explore him or herself without coercion by the therapist; to violate this trust is nothing short of an abuse of one's professional power.…”

“…Similarly, it is argued that change agentry cannot effectively be carried out from central positions within agencies, because the position itself becomes a restricting factor. These proponents maintain that the facilitation of change is most effective from a fringe position (Dustin, 1974;Sinick, 1977;Walz & Benjamin, 1978).…”