The Stories We Live: Narrative Tools for Career Conversations

The Stories We Live:

Narrative Tools for Career Conversations

Join the Colorado Career Development Association for this virtual conference that explores how storytelling can transform the way we approach careers and professional growth. The program begins with an introduction to the Career Construction Interview and a live demonstration of an innovative approach that uses personal stories to guide career choices. Participants will then engage in a community-building session to create connections and shared learning, followed by interactive breakout workshops presented by our peers.

*Attendees who are present for the entirety of the event will be eligible for 5.5 hours of continuing education credits granted by the National Career Development Association (NCDA). 

See you there!

Morning Keynote & Workshop:

Today’s world of work is filled with disruption, rapid change, and uncertainty, making it harder for people to manage career and life transitions. This workshop introduces Life Designing for Career Construction (LDCC) as the guiding framework and the Career Construction Interview (CCI) as the central intervention (Savickas, 2005). Practitioners will witness how the CCI can help individuals gain the clarity, confidence, and direction needed to address complex, unfamiliar, and ambiguous career challenges and transitions.

Speaker Bio:

Kevin Glavin, PhD, LPC, is Core Faculty in Walden University’s M.S. Clinical Mental Health Counseling program and a leading educator in Career Construction Theory. He studied for ten years with Dr. Mark Savickas, has taught practitioners across North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia, has authored 17 peer reviewed publications, and received the 2025 NCDA Merit Award.

Afternoon Sessions:

Community Building Session

During the community-building session, we will reflect on the morning session and apply principles to our own practice. This is a great chance to create connections and share learning with our peers. 

Breakout Sessions

Empowerment Through Effective Listening | Robert F Morris II, MS             

Most people have an intrinsic need to be seen, heard and validated. We want to be able to tell our stories and have the sense that our stories actually matter. In order for that to happen, there must be effective listening. It is an active demonstration of inclusivity and the concept of "Nothing About Us Without Us".

Beyond the Story: Tackling Ageism with Narrative, Strategy, and Advocacy | Bonnie Hart, MA, FCD     

Ageism is one of the most persistent barriers in career transitions, often outweighing even the strongest professional narratives. This session addresses both the personal and systemic sides of the issue, showing how storytelling and the Career Construction Interview (CCI) can help individuals reframe their value while also confronting employer bias. Participants will engage in a live CCI demonstration, a community dialogue on lived experiences, and peer-led breakout workshops. Together, we will explore individual strategies for navigating bias and collective approaches for challenging ageism in the workplace.

How do we Choose our Role Models? | Schuyler Simonton, MA, NCC, CCC

When we are helping clarify our client’s stories as through narrative technique, it is important that we are cognizant of their building blocks. What tools do they have, or what have they been exposed to? In this talk, I will cover the Role Models question of Career Construction Interview, and how it can be used in a shorter form, but also in how those same Role Models may look different depending on the client’s own culture, upbringing, and exposure to healthy representation in media and society. This will tie in Linda Gottfriedson’s Career Theory of Circumscription, related to how we can move from unconsciously picking role models, to more actively doing so.

Bridging Insight and Action: A Visual Path Forward after the Career Construction Interview     | Kaitlan Stephens, MA, LPCC, Sarah Smith, MA, LPC, ACS

Many career professionals use the Career Construction Interview (CCI) to help clients uncover meaningful stories and life themes. After delivering the Life Portrait, some clients often ask: “This is really interesting... but what do I do with it?”

The presenters offer one possible solution with a creative approach to help clients move from reflection to concrete, achievable next steps. This session introduces a visual, art-informed intervention grounded in the work of Dr. Debra Osborn and Dr. Barbara Parker-Bell.

Please Note: This session includes individual reflective activities that may result in brief periods of silence on Zoom. We encourage participants to bring a piece of paper and something to draw with. Feel free to be as creative as you like—colored pencils, markers, paint, or other art materials are welcome!

Registration Details:

Early bird deadline is October 3rd, at which point regular pricing will open and be accessible until the day before the event, October 23rd. Day of pricing will increase by $5 and be available until the morning of the event. 

Questions about registration? Contact CCDA's Registration Chair, Jenny Jessup, at events@coloradocareerdevelopment.org