Natalee Popadiuk

Positive Aspects of International Student Transitions: A Qualitative Inquiry

Despite the considerable growth of the international student population, positive aspects of their experience have received little attention. The current study combines a Critical Incident Technique methodology and a positive psychology lens to explore the cross-cultural transition of seven international students, focusing on facilitative factors, growth, and personal resources. Eight categories of helpful factors emerged from the 134 critical incidents recounted in the interviews: Growth and/or change, social support/building relationships, learning to navigate host culture, enjoyable activities outside of schoolwork, previous experiences and preparation, supportive faculty and staff, persevering through hard times, and a sense of belonging.

Counseling International Students in Canadian Schools

International students face many demands as they navigate the cross-cultural transition of living and learning in host countries such as Canada. The cultural diversity represented in this student population poses unique challenges for multicultural counseling. The ways that international students have been represented in the literature may contribute to barriers for effective counseling services. The discussion begins with a summary of the issues faced by international students when living and learning in a foreign country. Several limitations in the counseling literature about international students are addressed, including, the limitations of culture shock as a model of cross cultural transition, the lack of methodological diversity in research involving international students, a focus on group characteristics, and the continued emphasis on the problems experienced by international students. Suggestions for counselors are given to enhance their multicultural counseling competencies for working with international students.

A Cultural Formulation Approach to Career Counseling With International Students

Career counselors are challenged to consider the cultural validity of the theories and models that guide their practice. The cultural formulation approach is proposed as an organizing framework for career counselors to consider cultural influences on their clients’ career issues, related interventions, and the working alliance. The discussion illustrates the application of cultural formulation for career counseling with international students. A case study details common transition issues faced by international students, while exploring unique aspects of cultural identity. The case study illustrates how the cultural-formulation approach may be strengthened by incorporating a relational theoretical orientation as seen through a feminist lens to examine a client’s multiple identities, such as the intersections of gender, ethnicity, and social class.

University Students' Experiences of Nonmarital Breakups: A Grounded Theory

Prior nonmarital breakup research has been focused on negative outcomes, rarely examining the personal growth aspects of this experience. In this study, we used a qualitative grounded theory methodology to explore the changes that university students reported experiencing as a result of a heterosexual nonmarital breakup and how those changes arose. From the participant accounts, we constructed a grounded theoretical model that conceptualizes and explains change and personal growth following nonmarital breakups. In this model, we assert that students may experience stress-related growth after a breakup and we provide a framework for explaining these changes. Implications for counseling are discussed.

Key Relationships for International Student University-to-Work Transitions:

International student research predominantly focuses on the initial and middle stages of their sojourn. Our research, however, specifically addresses how relationships support international students to successfully navigate the late-stage transition from university to work. In this qualitative study, we interviewed 18 international students from diverse cultures, ages, and professions with an emphasis on their last year of university and 3 years post-graduation. We found six major themes: (a) building strong friendships supported the decision to stay, (b) career decision making is a group effort, (c) relationships with supervisors and mentors led to career opportunities, (d) establishing relational networks helped with finding first job, (e) developing connections early in their programs helped in the transition, and (f) mentoring from international alumni would provide role models. We discuss the importance of key relationships for international student success and how relationships are embedded in career decision making. Finally, we provide recommendations for career counselors.

Social Constructionist Theories in Vocational Psychology

Jenna, a 20-year-old Canadian young woman of Western European heritage, stopped attending high school in Grade 11 at 16 years of age, because she experienced school as “irrelevant” and “boring”. Shortly thereafter, her mother kicked her out of the house given that she was not in school and working only a few hours a week at a local convenience store. Although Jenna continued to work part-time at the store for the next four years at minimum wage, she sometimes had fleeting ideas of becoming an early childhood educator, since she always liked young children.

Career Counsellors and Suicide Risk Assessment.

ABSTRACT Recent discussions suggest that career counsellors need to be trained in more holistic frameworks in order to deal with the career and psychological issues of their clients. In particular, research shows a strong connection between employment and suicidality, including changes in socioeconomic status, disruption in employment, sudden unemployment, learning disabilities, occupational stress, difficulties at work and interpersonal conflicts. Many people struggling with work-related issues are likely to suffer from anxiety, depression, isolation or substance misuse, all significant risk factors associated with suicidal ideation. Therefore, by becoming competent in dealing with both vocational and personal issues, career counsellors might be in a unique position to be effective in assessing suicidal risk due to their less stigmatised role in the field.

Counseling Women: Feminist Perspectives and Contextual Action Theory

The field of psychotherapy has been greatly influenced by feminist thought over the past 50 years. Many of these ideas and practices are now deeply embedded in clinical practice, including egalitarian counselor/client relationships, empowerment and advocacy, the influence of systems and structures on individuals, and relational perspectives. Newer theoretical advances, specifically Contextual Action Theory (CAT), could be used as a meta-theory to further advance feminist counseling with women. In particular, CAT is a comprehensive perspective that provides an overriding framework, in which to better understand how context, relationships, and action influence women clients in therapy and in their everyday lives. CAT can be used as a way to examine the “actions,” “projects,” and “careers” of issues that women might bring to counseling.

Walking in Multiple Worlds: Successful School-to-Work Transitions for Aboriginal and Cultural Minority Youth

Employment and school-to-work transitions are major challenges for Aboriginal and cultural minority youth in Canada, given that unemployment rates for these groups tend to be two to three times the rate for other youth. In this chapter, we describe the issues, options, and pathways affecting school-to-work transitions for these young people. We then summarize results from our research projects involving Aboriginal and cultural minority youth and young adults. Our analysis and discussion conclude with implications for research, practice, and policy.