This book is an excellent course text for training new counsellors in basic and more advanced counselling micro-skills which come from a number of therapeutic approaches. It enables new trainees to learn how to integrate these skills within a sequential counselling process. It is an easy to read introduction to counselling which teachers will find particularly useful because it contains the following:
- A wide variety of examples to illustrate each counselling micro-skill
- Practice examples of client statements for students with suggested counsellor response
- Client statements, without solutions, for use by teachers in helping students to learn particular micro-skills
- An explanation of the therapeutic approaches related to particular micro-skills
- A description of a sequential integrative process which enables students to make informed choices about which skills to use at particular stages of the counselling process
- A discussion of the way to combine skills to facilitate change
- A discussion of a number of practical issues including cultural and ethical issues, the counselling environment, keeping records, the need for supervision, and the need for the counsellor to look after themselves

PART ONE: COUNSELLING - AN OVERVIEW
What is Counselling?
The Counselling Relationship
PART TWO: BASIC PRINCIPLES AND SKILLS
Learning the Necessary Skills
Joining and Listening
Paraphrasing of Content
Reflection of Feelings
Paraphrasing Content and Reflection of Feeling
Use and Abuse of Questions
Summarising
Creating Comfortable Closure
PART THREE: PROMOTING CHANGE THROUGH THE USE OF AN INTEGRATIVE APPROACH
An Integrative Approach to Helping People Change
Combining Skills to Facilitate the Change Process
PART FOUR: ADDITIONAL SKILLS FOR PROMOTING CHANGE
Confrontation
Normalising
Reframing
Challenging Self-Destructive Beliefs
Exploring Polarities
Enabling the Client to Make Use of their Strengths
Using the 'Here and Now' Experience
Exploring Options
Facilitating Action
PART FIVE: PRACTICAL, PROFESSIONAL AND ETHICAL ISSUES
The Counselling Environment
Keeping Records of Counselling Sessions
Cultural Issues
Influence of the Counsellor's Values and Beliefs
Confidentiality and Other Ethical Issues
The Need for Supervision
Looking After Yourself
PART SIX: PRACTICAL EXAMPLES FOR STUDENTS
REFERENCES

KATHRYN AND DAVID GELDARD work together in their private practice as counsellors, and as trainers and supervisors of other counsellors. Kathryn is a child and family therapist and occupational therapist. David is a psychologist. Together they have co-authored the books Counselling Skills in Everyday Life, Working with Children in Groups, Counselling Children, and Counselling Adolescents.