Counselling Skills for Dummies - 2nd Edition by Gail Evans (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Discover the practical skills for helping others.

Whether you are considering becoming a counsellor, have to provide some form of counselling as part of your job, or are simply interested in communicating well, Counselling Skills For Dummies provides the perfect introduction to the practical basics of counselling. Starting with a thorough guide to the qualities, knowledge and skills needed to become a 'listening helper', the book goes on to provide a framework for a counselling session, helping you to successfully manage a potentially daunting process.

Counselling Skills For Dummies, 2nd Edition

• Illustrates how you can create a positive relationship between listener and speaker
• Teaches you how to structure a helping conversation
• Explains how asking the right questions are important to the progression of the relationship between speaker and listener
• Shows how you can better understand yourself, which is a crucial step in ensuring that you break down your own barriers to listening

From the Back Cover

Learn to:

• Develop the knowledge and skills to become a 'listening helper'
• Discover the framework for a counselling session
• Create a positive relationship between listener and speaker
• Improve understanding of yourself to break down barriers to listening

Learn the practical skills to become a 'listening helper'

Actively listening to people in distress, and having healing dialogues with them, is fundamental to what a counsellor does. Whether you're considering becoming a counsellor, are called upon to provide some form of counselling in your job, or you'd simply like to improve your listening and communication skills, this book gets you up and running. Counsellor and therapist Gail Evans provides you with the practical tools to become a 'listening helper' and supplies you with powerful strategies for successfully navigating what can be a challenging process.

• Listen to yourself first - discover if counselling is the right path for you and how to overcome your personal barriers to being a 'listening helper'
• See the whole person - learn to understand people within the context of their whole lives and the social and psychological forces that shape their experiences
• Identify the problem - find out about the types of problems you'll encounter and how to read the signs and symptoms of distress
• Have a game plan - use a proven three-stage process for beginning a helping conversation, going deeper to identify the problem, and moving towards resolution
• Be prepared - discover strategies for dealing with unplanned or unexpected conversations in a variety of contexts and media

Open the book and find:

• Ways to overcome your own barriers to listening
• Common personal problems counsellors deal with
• A framework for structuring helping conversations
• Expert advice for dealing with difficult or dangerous situations
• Tips for counselling friends and family
• Fascinating real-life case studies

About the Author

Gail Evans is a Licensed Counsellor with more than 30 years' clinical experience. A former Head of the Counselling Studies Unit at Sheffield Hallam University, Gail now works as Programme Director at The Academy: Sheffield Psychotherapy and Counselling Education (SPACE), a new institute for teaching counselling and related subjects. She is also co-founder of Cornerstone Counselling and Therapy Centre, based in Sheffield.