Although there have been significant increases in the number of women participating in the workforce in recent years, many females continue to choose the role of full-time wife and mother as their life's work. Because 12% of women become widowed and the divorce rate remains steady at about 50%, a number of these stay-at-home mothers are ultimately forced to reenter the workforce to support themselves and their children. Some of these individuals may have minimal education or outdated job skills and many have a variety of psychological, emotional, and physical concerns because of losing their spouses. Because of these factors, the task of reentering the workforce can be a difficult one. Counselors who work with family issues should be able to address work-related issues as well. In doing so, narrative career counseling can be utilized as an effective approach in assisting these mothers with the exploration of new career paths. A case example and implications for clinicians are provided.
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