The Soul of Work One of the fundamental problems with our experience of work today is that we do not have sufficient complexity in the way we imagine this central human activity. Too often, when we ask questions of our work, they touch on issues of security, stability, and predictability, but not at all on […]
“How did I ever let myself end up in this position?” Ken sat heavily on the couch in my consulting room across from me, looking thoroughly weighed down by his life. He was overcome by sadness, regret, frustration, and a feeling of helplessness. His friends had encouraged Ken to get treatment for depression, but he […]
The Unlived Life of the Parents One of the most potent forces upon the psyche of the individual, according to C.G. Jung, is the unlived life of one’s parents. By this he means the potentials of the parents that have remained unrealized and the personal qualities that have never been developed or expressed. Jung, however, […]
Career Counseling is essentially a process that can help you to come to know yourself and the world of work better in order for you to make career, educational, and life decisions. Career counselors work with people across the full spectrum of life’s stages, including adolescents and young adults just entering the work force, experienced professionals […]
One of the most eloquent writers on the subject of finding your life’s work is the poet David Whyte. There are very few people talking about the subject of work with his level of depth, imagination and insight. Because Whyte is a poet, it is not surprising that throughout his writing there are sentences that ring […]
Asking Questions “The mere formulation of a problem,” said Einstein, “is far more often essential than its solution.” In other words, when a scientist thinks about an issue, it is the kinds of questions that she asks that are most important. This idea is no less true in everyday life than it is in the […]
Image courtesy of David Castillo Dominici / FreeDigitalPhotos.net This is the conclusion of a two-part post in which I examine several common experiences of discontent at work, as seen through the days of the week. In part one, I introduced signs #1-3: Monday Mourning, Terrible Tuesday, and “Can’t Get Over the Hump Day.” This second post resumes […]
Image courtesy of jesadaphorn / FreeDigitalPhotos.net At first glance, it might seem strange to have to spell out the signs of discontent and exhaustion at work. But these days, probably more than any other time in our history, we have become desensitized to unhealthy behaviors and experiences. Not only are we busier than we have ever […]
“The way we imagine our lives is the way we will go on living our lives.” ~ James Hillman With imagination, the sky’s the limit In my experience as a Jungian career counselor, the clients who engage their creative imaginations more effectively during the time I work with them are more successful in the career counseling […]
I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.” ~ Oscar Wilde If you are in the midst of a career transition, one thing that can really interfere with it is an abundance of good advice. And there is no shortage […]