Dual Career Couples Essay

The biggest challenge for many of us is how to balance our studies, work and family demands. While we want happy fulfilling lives outside of family, work and school, we have to make personal sacrifices in order to be successful in life. Since time is precious, keeping a balance between three worlds can be a challenge. Fortunately, with proper planning, balance is possible. Every day, I have to make choices and manage my time incredibly well in order to be able to balance my online studies, my work and family demands. In my opinion family demands, work and studies balance are a process, not a static achievement. So, it is important to make the decisions selecting careers

Relational approaches like attachment theory, parent-child career interactions, family systems therapy, developmental-relational model and Blustein’s relational theory of working, examine how family, extended family, friends and other members of the community affect career decision-making

During the interview, Stashia presented issues of career changed frequently as she diverted from majoring in one career path to another. She divulged in the interview that she had once listened to others and not decided on her own path. She reported changing her major, considered doing things differently if she could, and not having taken any vocational assessments that would have helped her. The writer will conceptualize interviewees barriers with theories of career counseling.

Marriage and family therapists are very much needed and are growing in demand. The stigma of seeing a therapist for marital and family problems is disappearing thus making people more likely to seek help for issues they cannot resolve on their own. There has also been an increased recognition of the field of marriage and family therapy (http://www.bls.gov). Over half of managed health care providers and employee assistance programs employ or contract with MFTs and 91% of graduates in 1992 from COAMFTE accredited programs were employed not long after graduation (http://www.aamft.org). According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics the field of marriage and family therapy is expected to see a growth of 30% by 2016 making it one of the fastest growing of all occupations (http://www.bls.gov).

This is a summary of career counseling sessions with a client, by the name of Ellen N., she is currently employed but is considering switching employers. Ellen and I completed various assessments to assist with providing her options for future employment. The assessments utilized were Myers–Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), Holland Codes, Kuder Career Assessment. Ultimately, determining that this clients’ case would be best served by using the Attachment Theory and the Family System theory in order to assist with making the most effective career choice for this client.

The Work-Life Balance: The career life and the personal life sometimes lead anxiety to women as they have to handle both their workplace and home at the same time smoothly.

In this paper, I will focus on the case examples of Maria and Richard to demonstrate ways that gender expectations and family life can influence the process of career counseling.

A brief background overview on a few career development theories will help direct this literature review and give a foundation to current theories in career development. Career development is a complex, lifelong process that is influenced by a variety of factors. Niles and Harris-Bowlsbey (2005) defined career development as “the lifelong psychological and behavioral processes as well as contextual influences shaping one’s career over the life span” (p. 12). Although there are many career development theories, this literature review will focus on just a few. Donald Super’s Life-Span, Life-Space Career Theory highlights the “complex and multifaceted nature of career development” (Niles & Hutchinson, 2009, p. 69). Super’s theory builds upon 14 assumptions and supports three key aspects of career development: life-span, life-space, and self-concept (Niles & Hutchinson, 2009). Life-span focuses on the development over one’s life through growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and

The Career that I am most interested in is the Family and Marriage therapist. However, what exactly does this career entail and will it be a reasonable fit with my personality and passions? Research and critical thinking well determine that. Firstly, what is a Family and Marriage therapist? These practitioners deal with mental issues, anxiety, and other conflict within the structure of marriage and family matters. They are concerned with the mental health and the long term well-being of the individuals they help in the structured areas and roles in family and marriage unit (AAMFT). The career of Family and Marriage therapist is most intriguing.

In the textbook, Family Life Now, the author, Kelly J. Welch, discusses the ten strategies for family and work balance. Obviously, sometimes the stressors in life and the struggles that work brings can definitely effect people and inhibit a relationship from being successful. According to a 2001 study examining “47 married couples who appear to successfully manage both spheres” (Welch, 409), the 10 major strategies to balance family and work are as follows: “Value Family, Strive for Partnership, Derive Meaning from Work, Maintain Work Boundaries, Be Focused and Productive at Work, Prioritize Family Fun, Take Pride in Dual Earning, Live Simply, Learn to Say “No”, and Value Time” (Welch, 410). Out of these ten strategies, I would like to focus on the seven that I think are the most beneficial and necessary to have in a balanced relationship.

Thompson, C. A., Beauvais, L. L., & Lyness, K. S. (1999). When Work–Family Benefits Are Not Enough: The Influence of Work–Family Culture on Benefit Utilization, Organizational Attachment, and Work–Family Conflict. Journal of Vocational Behavior, 54(3), 392-415.

Choosing a career might be considered one of the most important decisions in an individual’s life. The type of career people choose often paves the way for most of their opportunities and certainly has a direct impact in their self-identity. It has been recorded over the years, that gender roles and stereotypes have a direct influence when it comes to career decision making. For example; most men, who are considered the primary breadwinner of the home, tend to choose careers that ensure financial benefits and professional advancement such as medicine, law, finance, and politics. Women, on the other hand, focus on choosing a career in which they can balance their family life and has a more nurturing aspect to them such as teaching, nursing,

Many of today careers seem to require longer hours, more work travel, more expectations from employers, etc. I've see so many where work has become their highest priority, even over their families because they feel the financial pressure to make money. I've seen a pattern in couples who feel like they need to "do whatever it takes" for their careers and sacrifice, many times without being aware, healthy boundaries to protect their relationship with each

When it comes to family, it’s not as easy to make sacrifices. This is not to imply that women can’t have careers and families and be effective, it’s simply making note of the challenges faced when choosing this path. “Yet every study so far has shown us to be less effective when attempting to multitask. Even when our subjective impression is of having accomplished more in less time, in reality we get less done, we do it with less accuracy and depth, and we remember less about it later. Doing more at once robs all our activities of the attention they deserve -- and the experience we deserve” (Rushkoff). Finding balance is the only answer if women are to continue being a part of the workforce. No one can have it all without there being obstacles along the way. While maintaining family, careers, and home where does self-priority fit? We’ve read the countless arguments in support and opposition of women having it all, and surely the debate will continue. At what expense if any does it cost to have it all? Maintaining careers, family, homes, and self-care calls for more than one working and pitching in on the day to day operations. Come up with a plan that works and execute it to accomplish all that you desire. Everyone’s definition of “All” will very well be different, define your “All” and strive to have

For example, the behavior of men and women in the workplace was surprisingly found to be similar. While differences may have existed in the past, those differences are disappearing. According to Walston, this is due to more fearless women in the workplace insisting on credit for their accomplishments. Women are actively working to shatter the “glass ceiling”. Once can assume with the continuation of dual-earner households and shared roles, there will be no place for gender stereotyping in the future workplace. Therefore, if employers are recognizing the shared work and family roles of both genders, while aware of the fact that businesses with family-friendly policies have more reliable employees, then they should be putting effort into more gender research and implementing effective family-friendly policies. After all, a work environment with gender equality benefits the entire workforce and increases productivity. While some of these policies have major kinks to work out, recent research shows these problems will be resolved in