It is common for career development professionals (CDPs) to serve as front-line counselling professionals when individuals enter a new transitional stage. Individuals seeking meaningful work are provided with job search support and motivational talks. Do we know why some clients languish with their action plans while others flourish? Do we know that 80% of clients’ job search success comes from the client-counsellor alliance? In this workshop, we will explore various aspects of conducting effective career-focused counselling sessions. This interactive session aims to demonstrate how to apply career development theories to assess the client as a whole person and treat clients’ presenting issues with proven counselling modalities. Furthermore, the workshop will help CDPs discover how the clients’ career well-being issues can hinder their job search journey. By pinpointing the life activities that yield the best results, clients can refocus their strengths, skills and knowledge on crucial tasks to enhance their mental health.
Sonny Wong is a Registered Psychotherapist in Toronto, Canada – who practises career-focused positive counselling. With over 25 years of progressive experience as a CDP, he started his career as a community researcher identifying the needs of marginalized-displaced workers, served as program developer for matured workers/newcomers, and eventually a career/employment consultant for clients on provincial financial assistance. Sonny’s grassroots lived experience has fostered his keen awareness of professional/ethical service delivery practices. During the last 16 years, Sonny has been a psychotherapist working in post-secondary institutions assisting clients to reconcile their intersectionality identities with their career identity. The passion in his work spans beyond his psychotherapist role; he is a lecturer, writer, trainer and clinical supervisor for CDPs. Sonny’s professional contributions have been constantly recognized by numerous national and provincial service awards.
Sonny Wong (MEd Counselling/Psychology) is a Registered Psychotherapist who specializes in career-focused positive psychotherapy. He is also a Certified Clinical Supervisor for CDPs, helping them develop healthy career identities and well-being. Currently, he works as a Professional Counsellor at Toronto Metropolitan University. With 25 years of experience, he has held various roles including teaching faculty, researcher, writer and trainer. Sonny has received numerous national awards, including the Leadership Award and the Counsellor of the Year Award at Toronto Metropolitan University as well as the Jason Kelly Leadership Award for excellence in Solution-Focused Brief Therapy from the University of Toronto.