Vocational guidance and psychotherapy: mutually excluding or complementary alternatives?

Abstract

Research has shown the importance of understanding the effects produced by vocational guidance done simultaneously with psychotherapy. This study aimed at examining possible benefits of this combined strategy. This a documentary research, complemented by a case study. The first step was to build a database to characterize the clients referred by the Vocational Guidance Service to the Psychotherapy Service, between January/2003 and December/2006. Next, patient files were reviewed to select the participants. The search results revealed that, out of the 24 clients referred, only one received combined care. Vocational guidance combined with psychotherapy showed to be a valuable resource for the client, which permitted a focus on different but complementary aspects of the client’s problems.