Most people spend the majority of their waking hours at work. Our careers can provide us with a great sense of meaning and personal satisfaction. Finding the right career is the one of the most important life decisions a person will ever make. The wrong career choices can negatively impact our confidence, career trajectory, personal finances and family relationships. Our career paths extend over decades, and career counseling and coaching services can help you to make the right choices leading to success and happiness.
What Happens in Career Coaching and Career Counseling?
Services begin with a thorough interview. In order to provide the best services I first need to understand you as a person. This includes parental influences and family/career paths, your educational and developmental years including successes and choices; this includes where you excelled in school, hobbies, activities, etc. From there we focus on where you are in your career journey. Some clients are making career decisions for the first time, such as deciding on a college or a collegiate major. Other clients are on a path, but not happy with their direction and looking for a change. Others might be feeling “stuck” or under-utilized. Mid-career clients might be looking to change careers on their own while others might see industry or employer changes that required a course correction. Finally, seasoned professionals can utilize services to determine the next step following a long history of working. After all, you are never too old to figure out “what you want to do when you grow up.”
Can Dr. Van Haveren Address Both Personal and Career Issues?
Yes. As a Ph.D.-level Licensed Psychologist with 20 years I can comprehensively address your career needs like no other practitioner. Understanding you as a total person and using this information to help you make the best career moves is a process I am uniquely qualified to provide. I have designed and taught graduate level career development courses; this includes training generations of career professionals. This keeps me abreast of the latest research and best practices. In addition, during a doctoral Psychology training program, I have completed courses in personality, testing and assessment, culture/diversity, biological bases of behavior, the brain, and counseling practices. Other career coaches from backgrounds such as business, law, HR, recruiting, etc., do not have this knowledge and cannot provide the same level of insights.
In addition, some clients’ careers have been derailed due to personal issues. This myriad situations includes learning disabilities/ADHD, mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, divorce, family problems, confidence issues, and even medical problems leading to career under-achievement or short-term disability. My 10 years of college-level training and 20 years of practice have equipped me to address all the factors that will impact your career decision-making process.
What are the services?
Explorer Program
Designed for those who want to assess interests, skills, personality, and values. Administration and interpretation of 3 assessments: 1) interest/skills, 2) personality, and 3) work values. (Approximate time: 2 hours)
Cost: $375
Explorer Plus Program
Designed for those who want to assess interests, skills, personality, and values, plus follow-up sessions. Administration and interpretation of 3 assessments (1) interest/skills, 2) personality, and 3) work values) and 2, 1-hour individual sessions. (Approximate time: 4 hours)
Group interpretations are also available for the Explorer and Explorer Plus programs. Schedule a group of 2 or more and you will each receive a 15% discount of the cost.
Cost: $575
Premier Program
This program incorporates the testing of the Explorer Plus Program. However, this program also includes 5 1-hour individual sessions. Specific session activities including an imagery exercise, goal setting, and follow-up coaching sessions.
Cost: $775
Is There a Difference Between Career Coaching and Career Counseling?
Career counseling typically involves a deeper level of exploration. This includes a closer look at the factors that have made you who you are, and determining a plan to maximize those traits and skills. Further, the career counseling process can look into deeper factors such as confidence, self-talk, etc. The use of assessments can be a part of the process. Career coaching typically involves more “placement” strategies, such as resume development, LinkedIn profiles, networking, hidden job market, job search strategies, etc. Coaching can also involve the use of assessments. Career counseling is facilitated by a person who has a state license to practice counseling or psychology; master’s level career counselors and doctoral level career psychologists can also be coaches. The process to become a career coach is much less stringent with some coaches getting “certified” in a matter of weeks for a few hundred dollars where a career counselor or career psychologist can have anywhere from 2-6 years of graduate training.
Are career tests accurate? Will they say more than “I should be a bus driver?”
There are many established and evidence-based career assessments that have been used for decades. I use such measures to help you with your journey. Unfortunately, there are “free” tests on-line that provide no real , and some are simply present to get you to watch an ad. It’s also important to keep in mind that vocational tests can provide you with specific, tangible information. However, in my decades of experience the “test” is just a part of the puzzle. Talking through what the assessments mean and how to use the results are the more important parts of the approach. Sometimes people are looking for a test to “tell” them what to do; career assessments are a tool or frame of reference to be utilized by a skilled Vocational Psychologist. The tests I use are normed on professional level positions and provide a wealth of information.
I’m Not Crazy…is a Licensed Psychologist the Right Choice to Provide Career Services?
Yes. My background in Counseling Psychology provided specific courses and training requirements in career counseling; few other formal training programs require this level of education. Further, I completed a 100+ page dissertation on career development. If you don’t have circumstances that have impacted your career path such as learning differences, mental health, medical or substance issues, that is no problem; we simply move on from those topics and focus on the right process for you.
Does Career Counseling/Coaching Services Work?
Yes, the research clearly shows career services can help you reach your career goals. Working with the right qualified professional is the key to a successful experience.
Do I Have to Come to the Office for Services?
Services can be provided in person, or via a secure video conference: