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Basic Counselling Skills
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Basic Counselling Skills
A Helper's Manual

Fourth Edition
  • Richard Nelson-Jones - Fellow of the British Psychological Society and of the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy


November 2015 | 216 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd
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: 

-asking questions
-monitoring
-facilitating problem solving
-negotiating homework 

Each chapter describes a particular skill, illustrates it using clear case examples across a range of settings and then helps you consolidate and practise what you've learned through a set of creative activities. 

Further chapters cover professional issues including a new chapter on managing crises and chapters on ethical dilemmas, supervision, working with diversity and more.

 
Introduction
 
Who are counsellors and helpers?
 
What are basic counselling skills?
 
Helpers and helpees as diverse persons
 
What you bring to counselling and helping
 
The helping relationship
 
The helping process
 
Specific counselling skills
 
Understanding the internal frame of reference
 
Showing attention and interest
 
Paraphrasing and reflecting feelings
 
Starting, structuring and summarizing
 
Asking questions
 
Monitoring
 
Offering challenges and feedback
 
Self-disclosing
 
Managing resistances and making referrals
 
Facilitating problem solving
 
Coaching, demonstrating and rehearsing
 
Improving helpees’ self-talk
 
Improving helpees’ rules
 
Improving helpees’ perceptions
 
Negotiating homework
 
Conducting middle sessions
 
Ending helping
 
Further considerations
 
Introduction to relaxation
 
Managing crises
 
Ethical issues and dilemmas
 
Multicultural and gender aware helping
 
Getting support and being supervised
 
Becoming more skilled
 
Appendix 1 Annotated bibliography
 
Appendix 2 Professional associations in Britain, Australia and America

This text can be used by all students from undergraduate level to our masters level. The writing is clear and is a good aid for new students or as a refresher for more experienced students undertaking the counseling pathway.

Dr Helen Nicholas
Institute of Health & Society, Worcester University
August 22, 2016

The is a foundation text for essential counselling skills

Shehzad Malik
Institute of Lifelong Learning (Counselling Dept), University of Leicester
October 18, 2016

Very easy to use highly recommend this publication alongside the Counselling training , great supportive text .

Miss Sue Eldridge
Educational Psychology, Lewisham Counselling and Counsellor Trai
September 22, 2016

This textbook is easy to navigate and consume. It is a helpful tool for individuals to learn the basic principals involved in counselling. It is a good resource for students starting their journey of understanding counselling and the counselling process. The focus on the role of the counsellor is of particular importance and is clearly addressed in this book.

Ms Cindy Melanie Swartbooi
Psychology, Cornerstone Institute
July 11, 2016

This is a helpful book, explaining helping skills with clarity. This book would be useful for students studying on a counselling skills course. The book takes you through the counselling process, mainly from a CBT perspective, though it also examines the core conditions necessary for a good helping relationship.

Mrs Hilary McNair
Kent Adult Education, Hilderstone College
August 5, 2016

A great introduction to the role of the helper in counselling. Clearly written with appropriate examples throughout, and thought-provoking activities which are relevant for either group discussion or individual reflection. A very accessible text with clear guidance on how to develop basic counselling skills for helpers or those considering progression into a professional counselling role.

Mrs Suzi Smale
Petroc, Petroc
June 6, 2016

Helpful introduction for students to counselling

Mr David John Ellicott
Sociology and Politics, Nottingham Trent University
August 10, 2016

A classic in its field, usefully updated

Mr Gerald Willmore
Chair of Professional Standards, National Counselling Society
August 1, 2016

A useful book, that outlines the basics in a simplistic and understandable way

Mrs Julie Clayton
Adult Education, St Vincent College
July 13, 2016

A good summer pre-read in preparation for a third year module exploring therapeutic relationships and listening skills.

Ms Victoria Jones
School of Care Sciences, University of South Wales (Glamorgan)
June 22, 2016

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