Abstract
This is an introductory textbook designed for students entering the field of counseling. This sixth edition includes several new chapters and has been brought in line with the 2009 US-based Council for the Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. The American spelling of counselling is used in this review.
The book is divided into three parts. Part one gives an overview of the history of the counseling profession and introduces relevant core concepts, including ethical and legal considerations, the professional responsibility of self-care, research and writing in counseling and the role of technology. It was particularly interesting to read in the discussion about technology that the virtual world of Second Life is being used in counsellor education and that there have been studies looking at the use of robots to deliver therapy to the elderly.
Part 2 of the book focuses on counseling skills and gives a fairly comprehensive overview of theories and practices applied both to individual and group therapies. There is discussion on the use of creative media such as music, art and poetry, and sections on assessment, diagnosis and treatment planning.
The third part of the book reviews each of the main counseling specialties as recognised by CACREP. They are as follows: addictions, career counseling, clinical mental health, marriage, couple and family counseling, school counseling, college counseling and student affairs. Each section provides a history of the specialty, introduces the main concepts and discusses the relevant assessment tools. The differences between the specialties are discussed, and the readers are encouraged to consider whether each specialty appeals to them as a future career. This is useful because the differences are considerable. The role of a school counsellor supporting adolescents with their academic progress is very different to that of a mental health counsellor working with a client with a severe mental illness.
The strength of this book is that it is expertly written and very up to date and comprehensive in the breadth of topics covered. As the title suggests, there is an emphasis on the professional aspects of counseling, which makes it a useful guide for students entering the field. It is also a rich source of references. The writing is rather dense and technical in places, and as such, it is not a light read, but the use of sidebars and case studies helps clarify key concepts and makes the text more user friendly.
Although it contains a great deal of universally relevant information, the book is written primarily for an American audience. The sections on legislation and the many references to the various accrediting bodies and other related organisations will be of little interest to readers outside the United States.
Overall, I would certainly recommend this book to American readers and particularly to those new to the counseling profession. International readers can find some useful information on the basic tenets of counseling, but may have to look elsewhere for locally appropriate information. Its price may put off some individuals, but it would be a good addition to any library.