Full Description
The core text for counselor skill development, Becoming a Skilled Counselor prepares students with the fundamental knowledge and skills necessary to be effective helpers. Authors Richard D. Parsons and Naijian Zhang explain the essentials of the counseling relationship, the dynamic and intentional nature of the helping process, the knowledge and skills necessary to facilitate change and the theories and research guiding the selection and application of interventions.
Uniquely focused on the process of counseling, the authors' approach invites students to conceptualize clients using a fluid and dynamic model rather than a linear, step-by-step process. Each chapter is structured to reinforce concepts by first introducing the key constructs and empirical support, then providing application opportunities through detailed case illustrations with dialogue transcripts and guided practice exercises. The text emphasizes mindfulness, intentionality, ethics, and reflection to aid counselors in their journey of self-discovery and professional identity development.
Becoming a Skilled Counselor is the first book in Counseling and Professional Identity, a series that targets the development of specific competencies identified by CACREP (Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Programs).
Contents
Exercises
Editors Preface
Authors Preface
Acknowledgments
Section I: Counseling a Process and a Profession
Chapter 1: Counseling: Helping as a Professional Practice
Chapter 2: Helping - The Practice of Facilitating Change
Section II: The Elements and Dynamics of Counseling
Chapter 3: The Counseling Relationship: A Unique Social Encounter
Chapter 4: Identifying the "What Is": Probing the Client's Issues
Chapter 5: Goal Setting: Identifying the "what is desired"
Chapter 6: Moving from "what is" to "what is desired"
Chapter 7: Practice Accountability: An ethical mandate and a practice necessity
Section III: Counselor as Professional
Chapter 8: Counselor Competence: An Ethical Precondition to Successful Intervention
Chapter 9: Care for the Counselor
Chapter 10: The Unfolding Professional Identity
Section IV: Applying what we Know
Chapter 11: Samantha - Finding it hard to say goodbye
Chapter 12: Jamal - The Gym Teacher's Concern
Chapter 13: Mrs. Ayame Hoshi... Feeling as Half of A Person
Epilogue: From the Authors Chairs
