Values as Resources in Career Counselling Methods: Case Studies with Integrative Approach for Clients with Disabilities in Malaysia

Abstract

This article responds to the Government's call for counsellors to extend career guidance, which includes counselling Malaysians for enhancing human capital development with inclusiveness for attaining Vision 2020. This research paper does not study the types and degrees of severity of clients' disabilities or explain the methodology for the integrative approach. it aims at creating awareness among career counsellors in: (1) understanding the integration of values for facilitating clients with disabilities in the counselling process; and (2) using this insight for enabling clients to integrate into their society as productive and valued individuals. Hence, three cases of career counselling which were conducted by the author were selected to highlight the uses of values: (]) in Case 1 to develop objectivity, (2) in Case 2 to build therapeutic goals and (3) in Case 3 to cope with contextual barriers at work and at home. Using case studies, the relevance of the integrative approach is discussed within the context of the clients' own values in the counselling process, facilitating them in integrating into society as productive contributors. However, it is cautioned that career counsellors refrain from imposing their values on clients in using the integrative approach. More dialogue from the counselling fraternity is invited to address the use of the integrative approach in improving inclusiveness at the cross-cultural level.