StoryTech: Exploring the Use of a Narrative Technique for Training Career Counselors

Abstract

This article describes the use of a narrative technique, StoryTech, in a career counseling class. Student evaluations, comments, and recommendations for the use of StoryTech in a career counseling class are included. Judith D. Emmett is an associate professor in the Counseling and School Psychology Department at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and Arthur M. Harkins i s a professor in the Department of Educational Policy and Administration at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. StoryTech is the Mme for a visioning process developed by Arthur Harkins, director of the graduate program infuture studies at the University of Minnesota. He retains sole rights to the use of the term StoryTech". He may be contacted at the Department of Educational Policy and Administration, 275 PeiJc Hall, 159 Pillsbury D% S.E., Minneapolis, MN 55455. Correspondence regarding this article should be sent to Judith D. Emmett, 41 0 S. 3rd Street, River Falls, Wl54022.

Career Counseling With African Immigrant College Students: Theoretical Approaches and Implications for Practice

“…For example, female clients may need acknowledgement and validation of their nonpaid work roles, such as childbearing and household responsibilities. As Cheatham (1991) discussed in his response to the case of Mr. Ebo, it would be helpful for counselors to allow African immigrant clients to reveal their stories rather than to overemphasize with them objectives assessments such as interest inventories (Emmett & Harkins, 1997). Moreover, it is important for counselors to maintain a semistructured, June 2007 • Volume 55 directive counseling approach that allows for mutual collaboration and negotiation between client and counselor throughout the counseling process.…”

Social Justice Training Within Geropsychology

“…Three types of incomplete sentences were used in this exercise: (a) modified sentences originally generated from a Story Tech exercise utilized in a career counseling setting (Emmett & Harkins, 1997), (b) newly developed sentences for reflection on the aging process, and (c) sentences generated to tap into help-seeking beliefs and behaviors related to a specific developmental stage and cultural context (see Appendix). Students filled out incomplete sentences to help construct their past, present, and future life stories including what they believed their experience of aging might be.…”

Ethical Consideration of Counselor Education Teaching Strategies

“…Westwood (1994) offered words of caution in describing group-based exercises. First, he pointed out that because of the importance of how exercises are Sampson (1996) Emmett & Harkins (1997; Golden (1999) Barak (1990); Kim & Lyons (2003) Emerson (1995) Colby & Long (1994) Dollinger (1989); Parker (1991); Pedersen (1994Pedersen ( , 1995; Schwitzer, Gonzalez, & Curl (2001); Westwood (1994) Getz & Protinsky (1994; Kane (1995); Kern & Riordan (1995) Goodman & Carpenter-White (1996) Baldo & Softas-Nall (1997) Froehle, Robinson, & Kurpius (1983); Rabinowitz (1997) presented, conducted, and debriefed, counselor educators should be appropriately trained in group-process and experience-based learning approaches. Second, he noted that student safety must be guaranteed by "a clear set of group norms or guidelines, which help structure the learning environment" (Westwood, 1994, para.…”