This practical bestseller from leading expert Richard Nelson-Jones introduces the essential counselling skills for the helping professions. Now in its fourth edition, it guides you through the key skills for helping work across a range of settings, such as counselling, nursing, social work, youth work, education and many more. It explores 17 key counselling skills, including:

IntroductionWho are counsellors and helpers?What are basic counselling skills? Helpers and helpees as diverse personsWhat you bring to counselling and helpingThe helping relationshipThe helping processSpecific counselling skillsUnderstanding the internal frame of referenceShowing attention and interestParaphrasing and reflecting feelingsStarting, structuring and summarizingAsking questionsMonitoringOffering challenges and feedbackSelf-disclosingManaging resistances and making referralsFacilitating problem solvingCoaching, demonstrating and rehearsingImproving helpees' self-talkImproving helpees' rulesImproving helpees' perceptionsNegotiating homeworkConducting middle sessionsEnding helpingFurther considerationsIntroduction to relaxationManaging crisesEthical issues and dilemmasMulticultural and gender aware helpingGetting support and being supervisedBecoming more skilledAppendix 1 Annotated bibliographyAppendix 2 Professional associations in Britain, Australia and America