Murphy Counseling

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Archives for January 2017

Career Counselor

What is a Career Counselor?

Career Counselors are professionals who work with individuals and groups in the process of making career decisions and plans.  A Career Counselor can be extremely helpful in assisting people in the process of identifying those life values, personality characteristics and interests that are most important to them to direct this career selection process.

Counselors offer guidance

First clients discover their best choices among a wide variety of professional occupations through vocational testing and/or research.  The counselor then often works as a coach to teach and encourage the client to implement networking and job search strategies or to make plans for appropriate education or training.

Career counselors must be licensed by the state where they practice to call themselves “counselor.” (They may also be in the process of getting their license and working in a setting where they are supervised by someone with a state license.) People who do not have this credential may call themselves “consultants”, “advisors”, or “coaches”, but by law cannot call themselves “counselors.”

A counselor has spent many years in education and supervision to meet a high standard of practice. If you seek career assistance from someone who is not a counselor, make sure you have good references and know what training they have to do this type of work.  A non-licensed coach or consultant may actually be a good choice for career guidance, as long as they have relevant skill and experience for the needs of the client.  Someone with human resources experience, for example, may be able to provide guidance to people who want to thrive in the corporate world, but the consumer must beware because anyone can call themselves a “coach” or “consultant”.  It is up to the person seeking career guidance to determine if the person they are hiring to help them is qualified for the job.  And that goes for counselors, too!  Not every licensed counselor has significant career counseling experience so do a little digging to be sure you are getting a good match.

Career Counselors offer assistance with:

  • Identifying strengths, interests and priorities
  • Understanding personality type as it relates to job choices
  • Finding career paths and work environments that are the right fit
  • Overcoming roadblocks to finding a direction and making tough decisions
  • Deciding if a change of job, employer, career path or industry makes sense
  • Plotting a course and establishing a time frame for a change
  • Planning a job search strategy
  • Writing effective resumes and cover letters
  • Building and interacting with a network of contacts
  • Preparing for interviews
  • Troubleshooting a job search that is not productive
  • Evaluating and negotiating job offers and salary
  • Dealing with issues on the job, such as politics or a difficult boss
  • Asking for raises or promotions
  • Mapping out a plan for long-range career development

Counselors do not typically do job placement, that is, they do not find jobs for clients.  They may, however, suggest helpful resources such as networking groups and job fairs to help clients find jobs.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Counseling Services

Psychotherapy
Mary Jane Murphy Gonzales has over 25 years of experience in the counseling field. She is a licensed counselor working with individual adults in the areas of

  • Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Phobias, PTSD
  • Dissociative Disorders
  • Grief, Loss, Mourning
  • Stress Management
  • Depression
  • Abuse or Neglect History
  • Personal Growth

Motor Vehicle Accident/Assaults/Other Traumatic Incident

Relationship Difficulties (does not work with marriage or couples counseling, family counseling, and does not work with children)
.

EMDR
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing and is a powerful technique for helping people deal with stress, trauma, painful memories, and places in their lives where they are stuck.  Mary Jane has advanced training in EMDR and she is listed on the EMDR Institute website as a treatment provider.  Please visit  http://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/ for more information.

Mary Jane has also completed additional professional prerequisites through EMDR International Association and is a Certified Therapist in EMDR.

Stress Management
Learn tools to manage your stress physically and emotionally.  A variety of techniques are used, tailored to the lifestyle and temperament of the client, including relaxation, meditation, breathing techniques, and changing limited thinking patterns with cognitive behavioral therapy.

Development of Personal Skills
Assertiveness, Anger Management, Self-Expression and Active Listening are some of the skills that people may need to enrich their lives and reduce stress.

 

Filed Under: Georgia Counseling

Client Feedback

We could not be more pleased and satisfied with the time, effort and energy which Mary Jane Murphy-Gonzales expended in not only evaluating our daughter, but also, Mary Jane´s genuine interest and effective follow up.

At the time she visited with M. J., our daughter was in her mid-twenties, having recently returned from spending two years in Colorado.  M. J.´s evaluation determined, among other matters, that our daughter had a profile particularly suited for the marketing/public relations area.  This awareness was pivotal in the ensuing job search through which our daughter landed a position in development with a United Way program located in Charleston, South Carolina.  It was a perfect fit at the time.

More recently, our daughter has accepted a marketing position with a notable publication focused upon women in business in the Charleston, South Carolina/Lowcountry area. Throughout this time period, she has periodically touched based with M. J. and vice versa. Our daughter would have never made the progress she has made not only in her professional life, but also with respect to her confidence and self esteem without the advice, counsel and caring of M. J. Murphy.

For all the right reasons, we can recommend M. J. Murphy without qualification.

Father of a client in South Carolina


Our daughter didn’t find a job she enjoyed after college graduation, and wondered whether she should go to law school.  We spoke with an educational consultant who suggested that we work with Ms. Murphy to determine if that was a good choice for her.

We are so glad that we took that extra step before investing so much time and money in a law degree.  Our daughter is now going in a very different direction.  She has an understanding of her personality and aptitudes and why certain careers are a good match for her.  Law wasn’t high on the list.

We’re so glad she did the testing and planning sessions to get her on the right course!

Parent of a young woman who got a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting and is now completing an MBA in Marketing


I started working with MJ about two years ago while I was making a particularly tough transition from a career in the business world to one in the arts.  In that process our partnership evolved into one of synergistic openness that has consequently helped me tackle anxiety and depression, family of origin issues, relationship issues as well as creativity issues.

To illustrate this synergy and openness, one of our sessions began with a brainstorm that birthed a creative support group.  This group, comprised of other artistic clients, served as a forum for open sharing about anxieties and difficulties of being an artist in the “real world” and was a huge success for me.

From a client who transitioned from the business world to a career as a professional musician


I worked as a teacher for 5 years and I knew I wanted to change careers.  I was drawn to counseling, sales and financial planning.  The testing helped me see why each of those might work and why I needed to do research and learn more about each of those fields.

M.J. helped me set goals and create a plan that led me step by step toward a career in financial planning.  I’m working for an excellent broker and getting the training I need.  It has all fallen into place!

From a former teacher who is working for an investment firm and training for a career in financial planning


“I was suffering from depression but I didn’t know it.  I was falling behind in my work and was very worried about my job.  I thought a career change might be necessary.  Ms. Murphy recognized my symptoms and we treated the depression before doing any career changes.  As the depression lifted, I was able to see clearly again and I’m so glad I didn’t leave my job.”

From a business executive


“M.J. has helped me through many difficult moments with her intuition and depth of knowledge.  She is inspirational and a wonderful teacher.

She has been incredibly helpful to me in attaining my goals personally and professionally.”

From a television director who now works on the creative side of video production


I’ve always been rather disorganized and I wanted to change.  I came to see MJ with some clear goals about organizing my house and my schedule.  It was actually fun to see the changes and start using a planner as a tool instead of a nagging burden.

I started seeing how I could achieve important goals in my life based on my values, not someone else’s expectations of me.  I also learned to say no.

I got so much more than just better organization.

From a busy homemaker with 3 children


“M.J. is a gifted counselor. She has helped me with everything from my career, to family, to motherhood. Her insights and ideas have inspired me as well as calmed me in difficult times.

I never leave her office without an amazing piece of insight about myself.”

From a television producer who now stays at home raising her children and has varied creative interests


In the News …

The Wall Street Journal
Mom for Hire: Industry Springs Up Around Mothers Returning to Work .

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Helpful Links

Career Websites & Publications

The following are just a few of the many wonderful books available to assist you with your career needs:

Books & Publications

Do What You Are.
By Tieger, Paul D. And Barron-Tieger, Barbara  Uses the reader´s Myers Briggs Type to discover careers that may be a good match.

What Color is Your Parachute?
By Bolles, Richard  A classic with many techniques and exercises to help the reader navigate the world of career decision-making.

The Encore Career Handbook
by Marci Alboher   Good resource for considering careers in the second phase of life when your first career fizzles or it´s time for something new.

Career Websites

Here are just a few you may find helpful:

General Career Information

Jung Typology Test
www.humanmetrics.com
This website is full of information about Jung Typology and includes tests you can take to learn more about your personality type. On the homepage on the left side you will see a link to Jung Career Indicator.  The test is free and will give you good information about your type and careers that may be a good match for you.  Additional items and assessments available for a fee.

The Occupational Outlook Handbook
is an excellent site produced by the Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics.  Lots of reliable information on hundreds of careers.  An excellent resource. (www.bls.gov/ooh/).

Career One Stop This site includes Career InfoNet, America´s JobBank, and Service Locator. (http://www.careeronestop.org/)

Students & Recent College Grads
Information on educational career planning & internships:  Princeton Review

Unemployed?
Georgia Department of Labor´s website includes information about job search, unemployment benefits, vocational rehabilitation services, as well as events like job fairs.

Nonprofit
Check out , www.idealist.org, https://www.workforgood.org and Georgia Center for Nonprofits

Job Search Support Groups
http://www.ajobs.com/NetworkingGroups.htm

Inside Information on Companies
Want to learn about an organization before you interview or accept a job? Here are 2 sites to help you: https://www.glassdoor.com or www.vault.com

Salary Negotiation
Everyone struggles with this issue when they are negotiating a job offer or asking for a raise.  Check out www.salary.com

Unusual Jobs
Jobs for nature-lovers and alternative lifestyles.  Also lists many internship and volunteer ideas. backdoorjobs.com/

Need more help?  Call for a free phone consultation with a licensed experienced counselor.
(678) 793-5014

Filed Under: Uncategorized

Atlanta Career Services

 

Consider Career Counseling if:

  • You are unsure about your career direction, regardless of your age
  • You have recently graduated (or are near graduation) but do not feel confident about your career direction
  • You have a pattern of job-hopping, job loss, or difficulty getting
    along with co-workers or bosses.
  • You are a homemaker wishing to re-enter the work force
  • You are a mid-life career changer, looking for work that fits your present values and lifestyle
  • You are considering returning to school for an advanced degree or re-training for a new career and want assurance that you are making
    the right choice
  • You are a student having difficulty deciding on a college major
  • You want vocational testing to enhance understanding of your aptitudes, personality, and interests.
  • You want assistance with the logistics of the job search such as reviewing your resume, writing a cover letter, preparing references, interviewing, and negotiating a salary
  • You are needing assistance with a broader, long-term career plan that includes creating a vision, setting goals and objectives, networking, and fitting next-action steps into your planner

For more information about career counseling call Mary Jane Murphy.

Filed Under: Uncategorized

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Call for a free phone consultation with a licensed experienced counselor. 678.793.5014
Mary Jane Murphy-GonzalasMary Jane Murphy:
Experienced, licensed professional.

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Mary Jane Murphy Gonzales
678.793.5014
email address: murphy.maryjane@gmail.com
Practacing Across The State Of Georgia
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