Integrative Life Planning: Critical Tasks for Career Development and Changing Life Patterns - Hardcover

by L. Sunny Hansen (Author)

A landmark book that offers a holistic counseling approach that joins career planning and the life path of an individual. The author details the concept of integrative life planning (ILP), an ideal approach for dealing with changes in work, family, learning, and society.

Front Jacket

In the field of career development, Integrative Life Planning is a landmark book that recognizes the radical shifts in today's lifestyles and workplaces and offers a holistic counseling approach that joins career planning with the life path of an individual. Written by L. Sunny Hansen--a pioneer in career development--this important resource details her highly regarded concept of integrative life planning (ILP). As the book reveals, using the ILP framework enables career professionals, counselors, and their clients to develop career and life patterns that are holistic and focused on both individual satisfaction and community benefit. Integrative Life Planning provides an analysis of Hansen's revolutionary ILP concept that is anchored in an interdisciplinary framework of six critical tasks: finding work that needs doing in changing global contexts; weaving our lives into a meaningful whole, connecting family and work; valuing pluralism and inclusivity, exploring spirituality and life purpose; and managing personal transitions and organizational change. The book offers a wealth of ideas and information on each of the critical tasks as well as illustrative strategies and career interventions that can be used or adapted when implementing the ILP concept. ILP is an ideal approach for dealing with changes in work, family, learning, and society. Using a quilt metaphor, it integrates many aspects of individuals, families, and organizations including both the personal and the professional. In this pioneering work, the author advocates for people to make life choices and decisions consistent with the changes of a dynamic global society. The ILP concept takes into account self-satisfaction and the common good; personal accomplishment and community benefit. Hansen argues persuasively that this global approach can lead to more meaningful lives, more humane relationships, and a more caring society.

Back Jacket

A visionary work that can only be described as superb. It is destined to make a giant contribution to the field of career development, because it is truly holistic in weaving together important factors which impact the human condition. The needs of individuals, groups, and communities are considered in the career development process and a realistic and workable conceptual model is proposed. I believe that ILP will become a classic in the field and become required reading for career professionals. --Derald Wing Sue, professor, California School of Professional Psychology, Alameda and California State University, Hayward

"The complexity of managing careers makes most books on career development and planning one-dimensional. Sunny Hansen takes this complexity into account as she demonstrates the connection and relationship of careers, personalities, values, family, spirituality, socialization, and even policy. A bull's eye!" --Nancy K. Schlossberg, director, Center of Human Services Development, University of Maryland, College Park

Author Biography

L. SUNNY HANSEN is professor of counseling and student personnel psychology, Department of Educational Psychology, in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis. She has been the director of the BORN FREE Program since 1976.