Contextual Action Theory in Career Counselling: Some Misunderstood Issues

This article presents some of the important implications of action theory for counselling. The discussion is premised on the fact that many counsellors may avoid action approaches because of misunderstandings that have arisen in previous conceptualizations and understandings of action. Twelve misunderstandings are addressed in conceptual, methodological and counselling areas. Overall, action theory is presented as a highly suitable perspective for understanding human behaviour and for counselling as it is based on a wide spectrum of research as well as using a language that is close to human experience.