The Case of Jermel
The Case of Jermel: The Reluctant Postsecondary Planner
Jermel is a 17-year-old high school senior who is unsure about what to do with his life after graduation. He is the youngest of three children and his brother and sister are both college graduates. Jermel was adopted when he was 2 years old and grew up in a multi-racial home; he is Black, his adoptive mother is Puerto Rican, and his adoptive father is German. His mother is a speech pathologist at the elementary school he attended, and his father owns a struggling garage door company. Jermel has always been interested in playing video games and reading fantasy novels but doesn’t have a lot of friends or anyone he shares his interests with. His parents have encouraged him to go to college, but he doesn’t want to burden his parents or take out student loans to pay for something he is unsure about completing.In 4th grade, Jermal was diagnosed with ADHD (combined type) and struggled in elementary and middle school. He has done well in high school with support from his teachers and school counselor. He doesn’t enjoy most social situations and would rather be alone than interact with his peers. Recently, Jermel was diagnosed with Generalized Anxiety Disorder after experiencing frequent worry and panic attacks that seem to come out of nowhere. He takes medication for his ADHD and anxiety, which seems to help him focus on completing tasks and effectively manage his anxiety symptoms. He attends weekly counseling sessions with a licensed professional counselor and finds his time with her somewhat of an escape from his day-to-day stressors. He trusts his counselor who also seems to be willing to help him explore postsecondary options, but he doesn’t know where to begin.
His parents are encouraging him to explore college options, despite his desire to “take a gap year,” and just relax after graduation. He feels overwhelmed with the college application process and believes his parents just want him to pick a major and move out. He completed one college application for admission to the state college his siblings attended but did not declare a major. Jermel’s school counselor has reached out to him a couple of times to meet about his future plans, but he hasn’t met with him yet.
ASSIGNMENT: CAREER PLAN
Throughout this course, you have been introduced to tools to assist clients and students with identifying options for meaningful and desirable work. These tools include theories, assessments, and job-seeking strategies to facilitate self-exploration, increase career knowledge, and enhance career decision-making. In this final project, you will synthesize what you have learned by developing a career plan to support a client or student’s career development. To complete the project, you will read the case study illustrating a fictional client/student with career development needs. Using the template provided in the Week 10 Learning Resources, you will then apply the Hill and O’Brien (1999) Helping Skills Model to address the needs of this fictional case from the perspective of either the school counselor OR the licensed professional counselor. To conclude the assignment, you will identify how you might collaborate with the other counselor in the case (i.e., if you are the school counselor how you might collaborate with the licensed professional counselor OR if you are the licensed professional counselor how you might collaborate with the school counselor) in order to ensure Jermel’s career needs are addressed. The Helping Skill Model is outlined in the case study, Darren: The Case of the Unemployed Runaway, located in the Week 10 Learning Resources.To Prepare:Consider the learning resources presented throughout the course. If necessary, for your action plan, review theresume and interviewing resources presented in the Week 11 resources as well. Additional career resources canbe found on the Walden University Career Planning and Development website (https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/careerservices/home).Access the Hill and O’Brien (1999) Helping Skills Model located in the Week 10 Learning Resources.Access the ASCA Mindsets and Behaviors located in the Week 10 Learning Resources.Access the Career Plan template located in the Week 10 Learning Resources.
In 5–8 pages, use the Hill and O’Brien (1999) Helping Skills Model to describe the strategies/interventions thatyou would use to support the case study’s career plan. The Helping Skills Model is outlined in the case study, Darren: The Case of the Unemployed Runaway. It is located in the Week 10 Learning Resources.
First, summarize the case of Jermel. Do not use “Darren” from the resources. In your summary, you should:Briefly describe Jermel’s career concerns, andHighlight relevant sociocultural factors that influence the case.Describe your role in addressing Jermel’s career concerns as either a licensed professional counselor or aschool counselor.
Next, following the Hill and O’Brien (1999) model,Describe the activities that you would engage in at Stage One of your career plan (Exploration, pp. 231–232).What techniques would you use to develop rapport, express empathy, and encourage Jermel to “tell hisstory?”How would you broach the role of sociocultural factors in Jermel’s career story?
For the second stage, Insight (p. 232), identify the areas that you would focus on to gain a deeper meaning andunderstanding of Jermel’s situation.How would you identify his interests, abilities, and strengths?What career assessments and/or computer-assisted programs might be of use?What changes in the world-of-work might be relevant?
For the Action stage (p. 232), identifyThe plans you would developHow you would evaluate them, andWhat follow up activity you would do with your client.
Include anything else that you would like to add to further develop the plan.