The integration of psychotherapy-vocational interventions: Relevance for Black women.

Abstract

Significant barriers to the labor market often relegate black women to marginal positions within the labor force that not only threaten their own well-being, but that of Black America. Inadequate attention has been paid to the impact of barriers to the labor market on mental health. Since employment status may significantly influence the tone of one's self-esteem, personality integration, and capacity to positively contribute to society, the integration of psychotherapy with vocational interventions seems to be one very relevant way to address some of the needs of black women more effectively.Until the 1960s, psychology overlooked the needs of culturally and economically disenfranchised populations within American society. Even though more effort is now directed toward addressing their needs, attention to the impact of pernicious social problems on the psychological well-being of these populations still seems inadequate.Even though Freud himself observed that "love and work are the two great focuses of meaning (and neurosis), psychology has given almost all its attention to love and related matters" (quoted in Dantzer-Rosenthal, 1983), while work has been almost completely overlooked. Hodgins (1983), a vocational therapist in the Boston area contends, "The field is like sex, pre-Kinsey . . . it's so damn important and nobody knows anything about it" (p. 6). Indeed, very little attention has been Requests for reprints should be sent to

Integrating career counseling and psychotherapy: A comprehensive treatment strategy.

“…The approach outlined in this article is designed to provide both a conceptual framework and an incentive for further work in the integration of career counseling and psychotherapy. While other theoreticians and practitioners have attempted to provide clinical illustrations and programmatic suggestions for the synthesis of vocational and nonvocational issues in psychotherapy (e.g., Jenkins, 1985; Osipow, 1979), their recommendations have not generated much enthusiasm or research interest. The necessity of combining vocational interventions with psychotherapy is clearly indicated in the treatment of substance abusers.…”

“…The necessity of combining vocational interventions with psychotherapy is clearly indicated in the treatment of substance abusers. In addition, Jenkins (1985) developed a cogent argument for the integration of vocational and nonvocational interventions for black women. Further, the awareness of the critical role that work plays in human behavior traditionally has been an important feature in the professional identity of counseling psychology (e.g., Brown & Brooks, 1985; Osipow, 1979), and is becoming increasingly apparent to clinical psychologists (Manuso, 1983).…”

“…While there have been isolated conceptual and clinical attempts at synthesizing career counseling and psychotherapy, the few notable exceptions provide a coherent foundation in which to develop integrative treatment strategies. Underlying the work of such theorists and researchers as Bordin (1980), Jenkins (1985), and Osipow (1979, 1982) is the notion that separating work issues from other psychosocial concerns creates an artificial distinction between aspects of life that are clearly interrelated. As Freud (1930) suggested, the ability to work and love are hallmarks of mental health.…”

“…Throughout the history of counseling and psychotherapy, issues regarding career choice and development typically have been separated from other psychological problems. While there have been some notable exceptions to this trend (e.g., Bordin, 1980; Brown & Brooks, 1985; Jenkins, 1985; Osipow, 1979), most psychotherapists have placed personality and interpersonal issues at the forefront with work-related issues often receiving superficial coverage (see Garfield & Bergin, 1986). This article describes the utility of integrating career counseling and psychotherapy for selected client populations, with a particular focus on substance abusers.…”

Diagnostic and treatment overshadowing of vocational problems by personal problems.

“…One of the most compelling issues pertains to the question of counseling psychologists' sensitivity to vocational issues in light of potentially more interesting, prestigious, and financially rewarding personal prblems. This issue is particularly noteworthy in relation to the recent suggestion that psychotherapeutic and vocational interventions be integrated (e.g., Blustein, 1987; Jenkins, 1985; Osipow, 1979). The declining interest in vocational problems thus raises concern about the degree to which counseling psychologists can maintain awareness of and attention to vocational issues in diagnostic and treatment considerations of cases in which both vocational and personal problems are present.…”