As individuals we yearn to develop a deeper understanding of our role in this world. We want to find a pathway that reveals that “what” we do has a sense of purpose. We are taught to manage ourselves, our problems, and to be in control of every aspect of life. So, when we strive to find that pathway we often feel stuck and do not know where to turn. It just seems that we are missing something vital, which we need to discover deep within our lives, in order to affirm that life matters.
The Hope-Focused Model is a strengths-based existential approach designed to attend to this need. It integrates the innovative work of Adler (1969) and Savickas' (2005) constructionist approach to Narrative Therapy and the important work of Niles, Amundson & Neault's (2010) innovative Hope-Centered pathway, which enables individuals to co-construct the meaning of vocational goal pursuits. It is modeled from research that concentrates upon the concept that self-reflection is a fundamental component in identity development and its realignment. This process guides individuals towards mapping out and constructing life themes that lead to self-clarity. Developmentally, what ensues is a cognitive bridge that embraces "why" a distinctive path will sustain them with the resilience to flourish in this world.
Traditional vocational models often use personality and interest assessments that are incapable of revealing"why" individuals pursue distinctive life vocations. Importantly, ourDevelopmental Philosophy advocates that individuals yearn to understand "who" they are, "what" their inborn gifts are, and "how" they may be deployed in a manner that expresses their uniqueness.
Narratives
In response to this, our proprietary Narrative assessment draws from subjective experiential knowledge allowing individuals to reconstruct "who" they are (true self) and discern "why" a vocational pathway has purpose (future self). Narratives offer a subjective glimpse into "who" they were before "life" got in the way and validate "who" they have always hoped to become. Life themes emerge, illuminating intrinsic values, problem-solving styles, and inherent drive, which converge with newfound interests, revealing "why" taking ownership of actualized goal pursuits require a new attitude that points to intentional change.
Constructionist Evidence-Based Strengths Approach
Significantly, if individuals can co-construct "what" drives them, they also yearn for an understanding and validation of their innate abilities. Using a sophisticated objective abilities battery reveals "what" professional pathways each individual is naturally good at by aligning distinctive abilities in the form of ability patterns. Importantly, this can be found only with in this instrument.
The efficacy of our integrating both a subjective narrative with an an objective abilities battery is that it offers an awakening of an individuals uniqueness. This illuminates a new sense of purpose as to "why" new pursuits matter, serves as a catalyst to intentional change, and a pathway to achieve goal-oriented outcomes. To facilitate this, we guide individuals to embrace the relevance of their abilities, which develops the confidence to explore "how" their innate talent supports distinctive vocational choices in life. This developmental process elevates Hope-Focused thinking and the willpower to "live into" adopting a new outlook on their role in life.
Vocational Identity Development
A vocational identity is a subjective affirmation that "what" we do in life becomes a reflection of "who" we are. Developmentally, this requires engaging in a discovery process that begins with self-reflection and progresses to self-clarity. It empowers the confidence to envision "why" this vocational calling offers a new way of living. Hope develops through this critical self-inquiry focusing on creating the cognitive scaffolding to either launch or repurpose vocational pursuits. It manifests an existential belief that we were born with gifts in this life to be shared with others.
It makes waking up in the morning altogether different because clients have a new sense of purpose. As a result, our goal is to stimulate the hearts and minds of our clients to embrace self-efficacy and heighten their visioning of "how" to use their gifts in their personal and professional lives.
Formatively, if vocations are protean or ever evolving, then this newfound knowledge instills the willpower, to enact strategies, develop actions steps, adapt to challenges, take ownership of their direction, and co-construct a life filled with purpose. This awakens their sense of uniqueness by connecting this new attitudinal perspective with appropriate behavioral action-steps to embark on a new pathway in life. Importantly, this process amplifies how deploying innate gifts promotes a sustainable way of living, accentuates interpersonal work relationships, well-being, and creates an emerging vocational identity.
