A constructivist framework can often appear vague and abstract to the novice counselor. The abstract and nebulous realm of meaning-making, which is central to constructivist approaches, can be frustrating for a linear, task-oriented counselor. This digest explains the approaches used in constructivist counseling. The need to use constructivist counseling arose from the belief that youth did not feel empowered or motivated to put their career information to use. It was concluded that a counseling approach which empowers clients to adopt proactive, mindful stances about their worklife, needed to be developed. So the critical reflection approach focuses on helping clients understand how their self-organizing principles shape their world view and influence and direct the choices they make. Ways in understanding these principles include helping clients understand how they interpret the events of their lives in the pursuit of meaning. Likewise, counselors must help clients create stories or narratives using devices such as metaphor and critical reflection. Such stories will enhance self-knowledge and enable the client to assess life positions. Counselors also must take care to instill in clients a sense of power. Many times counselors simply "test them" and "tell them," thus disempowering clients by diminishing their ability to choose. (RJM)