This interview was inspired by the CERIC webinars in 2018 called, Reclaim your soul: Making choices that honour your authentic self delivered by Dr. Spencer “Skip” Niles.
In 2018, I interviewed Skip and we discussed how career service providers could work on the Intuition, Authenticity, and Contemplation to help themselves and their clients. If you have not viewed this 2018 video, I recommend that you do. Watch
Now in 2020, we are dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic, the increased awareness of social injustice highlighted by the murder of George Floyd and other people of color, and an ever divided politics in the USA.
As I struggle with all three of these issues, I wanted to talk with Skip and see how the Hope-Action Theory might help career service providers. Below is a chart showing “what the soul wants” and what “work expects.”
This interview in 2020, we focus on Hope, Compassion, and Possibilities.
| SOUL WANTS | WORK EXPECTS |
| Intuition (2018) | Rationality |
| Imagination | Routine |
| Authenticity (2018) | Achievement |
| Relationships | Individualism |
| Hope (2020) | Logic |
| Contemplation (2018) | Certainty |
| Possibilities(2020) | Probabilities |
| Compassion(2020) | Control |
Hope-Action Theory
Check out his new book: Career Recovery:Creating Hopeful Careers in Difficult Times (First Edition)Spencer Niles, Norman Amundson, Roberta Neault, and Hyung Joon Yoon
BIO: Dr. Spencer G. Niles
Dr. Spencer Niles serves as Professor in the Counselor Education Program at William & Mary. Previously, he served as Dean (2013-2020) and Professor at the School of Education at William & Mary. He was also a Distinguished Professor and Department Head for Educational Psychology, Counseling, and Special Education at the Pennsylvania State University from 2000-2013 where he led the development and implementation of Penn State’s CACREP-accredited master’s programs in school counseling, clinical mental health counseling, and career counseling. He also led Penn State’s creation and implementation of their first-ever CACREP-accredited Ph.D. in Counselor Education and Supervision. Prior to joining the faculty at Penn State, he served as Professor of Counselor Education at the University of Virginia.
Spencer Niles is a Past-President of Chi Sigma Iota International and was twice the President of the National Career Development Association (NCDA). He is the recipient of the NCDA Eminent Career Award. Niles is a Fellow of the National Career Development Association and the American Counseling Association. He has received numerous awards from the American Counseling Association (ACA) including the Thomas Hohenshil Research Award, the Thomas Sweeney Visionary Leadership and Advocacy Award, the President’s Award, the David Brooks Distinguished Mentor Award, the ACA Extended Research Award, and the Visionary Leader and Advocate Award. He received the Noted Scholar Award from the University of British Columbia. Niles is a Fellow of ACA and NCDA. He served as two-term Editor for The Career Development Quarterly, Editor for the Journal of Counseling & Development, and continues to serve on numerous journal editorial boards. He has authored or co-authored approximately 140 publications and delivered over 150 presentations at national and international conferences. His book Career Development Interventions (6th edition) is the best-selling career text in the world. His forthcoming co-authored books are titled Career Flow and Development: Hope-Action Theory and Career Recovery: Creating Careers with Hope in Difficult Times.
He has taught in over 27 countries and is an Honorary Member of the Japanese Career Development Association, Honorary Member of the Italian Association for Educational and Vocational Guidance, a member of the Board of Directors for the International Center for Career Development and Public Policy and a Lifetime Honorary Member of the Ohio Career Development Association.
Jim Peacock is the Principal at Peak-Careers Consulting and writes a weekly email for career practitioners. Peak-Careers offers discussion-based online seminars for career practitioners focused on meeting continuing education needs for CCSP, GCDF and BCC certified professionals as well as workshops for career practitioners and individual career coaching.
He is the author of A Field Guide for Career Practitioners: Helping Your Clients Create Their Next Move and the recipient of the 2020 Kenneth C. Hoyt Award from National Career Development Association.
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