As a careers practitioner, I love to weave in different techniques and tools to effectively engage with my clients.  It can be such a dynamic process and you never know what might resonate or connect throughout a session. 

But one thing that always remains the same is the idea of always treating clients with kindness.  Lila Pulsford (a fantastic Auckland-based careers practitioner) focused on the topic of kindness in her Masters studies.  As practitioners, we are in the unique and privileged position of guiding a client to to navigating their career ideas and options.  It can also be a confronting and challenging experience for clients to self-reflect, be it on their strengths or their insecurities.  Being kind allows the client to see that we care about them, and are hopeful for them too. 

I love the idea of kindness, as it has always been a behaviour and quality that I strongly uphold and display in my interactions with others.  It shows people that I respect them and I that I come in good faith. 

Acts of kindness also make me reflect on the work of Carl Rogers and the humanistic approaches to working with people in a therapeutic setting.  I came across his work as a trainee Lifeline Counsellor and it immediately struck a chord with me.  His idea of showing unconditional positive regard towards others, in my view, is rooted in being kind and optimistic. 

How human.  How kind.  Human kind.   

Countdown to Christmas!  From 1 to 24 December, I will share some of my key reflections and learnings from 2018.