Your client's family is pushing back on their career choice. How can you help them navigate this challenge?

Here are some key elements on this subject according to my experience: 1. Building trust with my client's family is a priority and it comes first, before any other efforts or goals. Make them feel involved, heard, and an important part of the process. Make sure they know your background and qualification, and understand how it will specifically help their child along the way. 2. Dedicating time to understand their current emotional and psychological status is very helpful, since you can not only use it as a reference point to know how to communicate with them and prioritize what to address first, but also evaluate and emphasize the "before" and "after" their child's guidance process.

Start by encouraging open and honest communication with their family to understand their concerns. Help the client articulate their passion and the reasons behind their career choice clearly and confidently. Equip them with factual information about the potential benefits and stability of their chosen path to address specific worries. Support the client in setting boundaries while maintaining respect for their family's perspective. Additionally, connect them with a mentor or support group who has faced similar challenges. Encourage patience and persistence, reminding them to stay true to their goals and values while seeking a balance between family expectations and personal aspirations.

-One of the most surprising and satisfactory side effects of my work is seeing the changes in the quantity and quality of communication between my clients and their parents (and other relatives and friends as well), specially regarding conversations about their academic and professional future. -Once that "a-ha moment" happens when they realize that their career choice/s (the career of their choice) is aligned not only with their motivations and capabilities but also, who they are who they want to be, they better understand how their current or upcoming efforts make sense and are worth it. They see a road map that takes them somewhere they want to be, and that motivation and confidence is permeated into the conversations with family.

-A fundamental element of communication here is choosing the right time and place. I encourage my clients to avoid discussing their career decisions and doubts at stressful times or occasions, when there is little time or too many distractions, etc. Rather, choose a time when the overall environment and situation is relaxed and positive, when there is enough time to listen to each other and express things calmly and without rush. For example during a weekend outing, a relaxed favorite restaurant meal or at an exciting vacation resort during a break or resting time.