Counselling skills are very powerful. Really listening and providing compassionate empathy without judging is a core part of social work practice with service users. This book provides a theoretically informed understanding of the core skills required to provide counselling interventions that work. It provides detailed discussion of three core skills which are identified as: talking and responding, listening and observing and thinking. Over 11 chapters these core skills are described in terms of what they mean, how they can be learned and developed, how they can be used and misused and, most importantly, how specific skills can be employed in a coherent and evidence-informed counselling approach. Loughran also looks in detail at the skills required to deliver interventions consistent with three approaches: Motivational Interviewing, Solution-Focused Work and Group work. Illustrative case examples and exercises offer further opportunities for reflection and exploration of self-awareness as well as for practising and enhancing skills development, thus making the book required reading for all social work students, professionals looking to develop their counselling skills and those working in the helping professions more generally. Terms such as social worker, therapist and counsellor will be included as they inform counselling skills in social work.

This practical book enables students to develop key counselling skills that can help to enhance their practice and help to place the service-user at the centre of the decision making process. Relationship building will be a key area of the text and relevant counselling skills for achieving this in social work settings such as empathic responding will be illustrated in detail together with examples of dialogue and analysis of interventions. The role and importance of self-awareness will be discussed together with various exercises to develop the readers′ own knowledge of themselves.

Praise for the first edition: ′The content of the book is excellent.... The strength lies in its detailed application of ideas to practice. The use of the case material to illustrate application is excellent and works well.′ - Helen Cosis-Brown, University of Middlesex This new edition of Counselling Skills for Social Work argues that good counselling skills are at the heart of effective social work practice. Building on the success of the first edition, this core textbook brings a range of therapeutic models, with their theoretical underpinnings and skills, directly into a social work context. By looking at how the underlying theory can be applied to professional practice, chapters identify the key skills which can be employed for the most effective social work intervention. Key features of the book include: - a practical skills-based approach; - a focus on service-user experiences and arange of case-studies drawn from a variety of `real-life′ settings; - a new chapter dedicated to counselling young people; - chapter content is linked to the most recent NOS and GSCC guidelines structuring training and practice; - end-of-chapter Reflective Questions and Tips for Practice summarising the key theoretical concepts and their applications. Written in a lively and engaging style this updated new edition will be an invaluable text for undergraduate students in social work. It will also be useful for qualified practitioners to enhance understanding of communication and the process of change through the medium of counselling skills.

· In what ways is counselling relevant to contemporary social work? · How do counselling skills integrate with social work roles and responsibilities? This book examines these skills and their applicability, drawing from social work and counselling theories and methods using clear, practical examples. Skills are discussed with reference to social work knowledge and values illustrating how, when used competently, contextually and sensitively they can appropriately underpin good social work practice. Questions and activities for self development are linked to the practices discussed. This new edition ofCounselling Skills in Social Work Practicehas been thoroughly revised to reflect the National Occupational Standards for social work which identify the importance of communication skills and a developmental understanding of people in their social contexts. The chapters are linked to the six key roles for social work practice. This book builds on the strengths of the first edition, as well as addressing the challenges of practice in relevant legislative and policy contexts. The book includes: · Evidence of how the competencies which underpin counselling practice are directly transferable to effective social work practice · Practical advice on communication skills · Examples of how to build effective working relationships; a whole chapter is now devoted to the specific skills required for working within inter-agency and multi-disciplinary teams This book is key reading on the subject of ethical and effective social work for those teaching, studying or practising in the field.

This book supports and develops the communication and interviewing skills of professional practitioners and student practitioners in social work, counselling, and the health professions. Combining work on personal and social constructs, the search for meaning, and ecological theory, this book both provides an integrated discussion of practice and presents a balanced approach when discussing psychological, biological, and social influences on individual well-being. Furthermore, it emphasises the influence of social contexts on behaviour and well-being, as well as valuing and encouraging the application of practitioners’ prior experience and learning (APEL) to new knowledge and understanding. Containing a range of practice examples to stimulate learning, this book promotes a collaboration between the professions, and welcomes the contributions of people who use services, patients, and clients. Communication and Interviewing Skills for Practice in Social Work, Counselling and the Health Professions will be of interest to all undergraduate and postgraduate social work students, as well as new and experienced professional health care practitioners.

This counselling skills book will equip you with the necessary knowledge, skills and qualities to work with people in a range of different roles and settings. It defines counselling skills and introduces key skills including: listening and responding skills, empathy and different models, tools and techniques. Further chapters explore the importance of skills practice and self-awareness; ethics, boundaries and confidentiality; working remotely; working with difference and diversity, and different professional roles. Throughout, case studies show you how these skills can make a difference in practice, while exercises, including a student journal feature, help you reflect on your own attitudes to enhance your reflective practice. This book is an accessible guide to the BACP counselling skills competence framework for trainee counsellors and those using counselling skills as part of another professional role.

Puzzled by terminology, skills, law, or theory? Revising for your placement or exam? Then look no further! This series of concise and easy-to-use A-Zs will be your guide. Designed for both students and newly-qualified social workers, this book will introduce you to over 60 key skills in a concise and no-nonsense way. You can test your knowledge and how to apply each skill in practice with Skills in Action, Stop-Reflect and Top Tips boxes.

`As a course book or an aide to individual learning this book contains a wealth of information and guidance based on years of study and practice. It is easy to use because it is clearly signposted. I particularly like the way the author addresses the range of issues a student needs to consider before embarking on a counselling course. The structure of building block by block, skill by skill simplifies assessment′ - Counselling and Psychotherapy Journal Good counselling skills are the key to effective helping relationships. Introduction to Counselling Skills, Second Edition is designed to help readers′ acquire and develop these skills, using an easy-to-follow, three-stage model. Drawing on many years experience as a counsellor, trainer and writer, Richard Nelson-Jones describes in detail each stage in the helping process and gives examples to show how the skills work in practice. The examples also demonstrate the variety of contexts in which counselling skills are commonly used, as well as the diversity of issues and problems they can help to address. The book covers: } what counselling skills are } how to conduct sessions } ways to clarify and expand your understanding } how to improve your listening skills } ethical skills. Introduction to Counselling Skills, Second Edition is full of practical features designed to aid learning, including activities related to the particular skill being described, learning outcomes, examples, summaries and a glossary of key terms. For this, the Second Edition, the book has been fully up-dated and new material has been added on the diversity of helpers and clients, the use of training groups and supervision. Combining a clear explanation of skills, with a host of practical activities, Introduction to Counselling Skills, Second Edition is the ideal text for introductory courses in counselling skills, counselling and many other professional areas including health care, management, education and social work.

This is the second edition of a book that I hope continues to be of practical value. For counselling must always be that: practical. No amount of talking, on its own, can really make a difference if people do not end up doing something as a result of counselling. The practical thread remains an important one throughout this edition. Counselling Skills for Health Professionals is not just a 'how to do it' book: people are probably too complicated for that approach to be of much use. Counselling is never simply a matter of learning a range of skills which you then apply in a range of settings. In the end, counselling is about facing the person in front of you, listening to them carefully and then supporting them as they work through their problems. For many problems, there are no easy answers and counselling doesn't offer any 'quick fixes'. It is essentially a supportive process. There are many things it cannot do. It cannot change certain social and political situations. It cannot cure diseases. On the other hand, what it can do is offer people more hope. Often, just the fact that there is somone who is prepared to hear your story and to listen to you is all that is needed. I remain convinced that the key issue in all types of counselling is the ability to listen.

Basic Therapeutic Counseling Skills: Interventions for Working with Clients' Thoughts, Feelings, and Behaviors introduces readers to the core counseling skills used by professionals in daily practice. The text emphasizes the importance of employing specific counseling strategies geared to understanding the client's private world and developing a therapeutic relationship. The book provides an overview of the helping profession, introduces readers to a counseling model, and discusses three stages of counseling. Readers will learn to develop therapeutic listening and responding skills, and the art of asking questions. Readers will also explore how to gain insight by reflecting on the content and process of counseling sessions. Other topics covered in the text include therapeutic action skills, the closure counseling stage, advanced counseling interventions, and skills for working with the clients' thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Basic Therapeutic Counseling Skills prepares competent professional helpers to deal successfully and compassionately with a wide variety of clients. The book is designed to be a core textbook for counseling skills courses. It can also be used for reference and review by practicing professionals. Darrick Tovar-Murray earned his Ph.D. at Western Michigan University. Dr. Tovar-Murray is an assistant professor in the College of Education at DePaul University in Chicago, where he teaches courses in counseling skills, multicultural counseling, career counseling, couples and family counseling, and legal and ethical issues in counseling. His research interests include identity development, biracial identity development, multicultural competencies, African American well-being, and counseling and spirituality.