The case of Ralph:

Ralph is a 47-year-old father of four children, all of whom are adolescents or older. He says that he is coming to you forcounseling in order to find a way to free himself from feeling trapped by meaningless work. He was referred to you by afriend, and he tells you the following at the intake session:

"I feel a need to take some action at this point in my lifeI suppose you could say I'm going through a late identitycrisis. By now, you'd expect that a guy of my age should know where he's going in life, but all I know is that I feelblah. Just sorta like a zombie!""I attribute most of my problems to my job. I've worked with this department store chain for more years than I canremember. I'm the manager of a store with quite a few people under me. But now I've come to hate that job! There'snothing to look forward to anymore. It's no challenge. Part of me wants to junk the entire thing, even though I'm notthat far away from retirement with a nice pension and many fringe benefits. So the conservative part of me says stayand put up with what you've got! Then another side of me says to leave and find something else more challenging. Don't die living for a stinking pension plan!""So I'm really torn whether I should stay or leave. I keep thinking of my kids. I feel I should support them and see themthrough collegeand if I go to another job I'll have to take a big pay cut. I feel guilty about even thinking of letting mykids down when they expect me to see them through. And then my wife tells me I should just accept that what I'mfeeling is normal for my agea midlife crisis, she calls it. She says I should get rid of foolish notions about making ajob change at my age. Then there's always the fear that I'll get out there and make that big change and then get fired.What would I do without a job? Who would I be if I couldn't work? I just feel as though there are heavy rocks on myshoulders weighing me down every time I think about being stuck in my job. I sure hope you'll help me get rid of thisburden and help me make a decision about what to do with this work situation."

Discuss what would it look like to work with Ralph from a Humanistic, Existential or Spiritual perspective (for example work to help Ralph understand his identity and enhance his individual, personal development)? What would you say/do/ask?