Sometimes clients come to counselling with an array of problems. It is helpful to name these problems as simply as possible, and constraint statements are a good way of doing this (Amundson et al., 2009). Constraint statements are short phrases that give the what and the why of the problem (e.g., âI canât find a job [what] because the economy is doing poorly [why]â). These statements facilitate the development of an initial goal that both client and counsellor can agree on (in the example above, the goal would be to find a job). Note that the goal often shifts after the exploration process (which we will discuss in the next unit) as the client gains more information about him/herself and the labour market. The goal may change completely, or it may be refined as a result of the information gathered. However, exploration needs an initial target, and counsellors set this target by defining the problem at the outset. In the following scenarios, identify the primary problem from the clientâs career story, and write this as a constraint statement. Identify the problem dimension that best represents each clientâs primary problem.

 

1. While May has multiple barriers to employment, she is interested in looking for work. She struggles with an anxiety disorder and has been receiving long-term disability support for three years. She is able to make some money to supplement her disability income, but she has trouble keeping a job because periodically she has to take time off work because of her disability. She would like to work part-time but needs to find a very supportive employer.
2. Joan has been laid off from her job as an educational assistant due to cutbacks in her district. She has been working at this job part-time for the past 10 years as her kids have grown up. She would like to find another job caring for children, for which she has certification as an educational assistant and a diploma in Early Childhood Education. She hasnât had to look for a job for many years and isnât sure how to go about getting another job.