In this article we introduce key concepts from critical psychology to explore their potential when operationalised in qualitative, empirically-based analyses of career guidance and counselling. Critical psychology is particularly concerned with understanding the concrete lines of action that can support generalised human agency -- a focus that is highly relevant when studying how career guidance can support agency within various target groups. This foundation in critical psychology supports an analytical strategy guided by an exploration of the relationship between subjective meanings, reasons and societal conditions in qualitative empirical data. We illustrate the analytical process with a case and discuss which types of questions critical psychology can help explore within guidance research and which discussions it can facilitate among researchers, practitioners and policymakers.