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Counselling and Therapy Techniques
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Counselling and Therapy Techniques
Theory & Practice

  • Augustine Meier - Ph.D., certified clinical psychologist, professor Emeritus, Faculty of Human Sciences, Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario and Founder and President of the Ottawa Institute for Obj
  • Micheline Boivin - M.A., certified clinical psychologist, Psychological Services of the Family, Youth and Children's Program at the Centre for Health and Social Services, Gatineau, Quibec


October 2010 | 192 pages | SAGE Publications Ltd

This is the first book on counseling skills to look in detail at the practical interventions and tools used to establish the therapeutic relationship. Step-by-step, the text teaches the reader exactly how to use these skills with clients to address their concerns and achieve therapeutic change.

Integrative and pluralistic in approach, the text covers the key techniques from all the major therapeutic models, placing them in their historical and theoretical contexts. Techniques covered include empathic responding, experiential focusing, Gestalt, metaphors, task-directed imagery, ego state therapy, solution focused therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, narrative therapy and self-in-relationship therapy.

Key Features

  • Presents each technique from the perspective of its underlying theory
  • Gives practical instruction on how to deliver each intervention
  • Provides extracts from counseling sessions to demonstrate the technique in action

This book is crucial reading for all trainees on counseling and psychotherapy courses or preparing to use counseling techniques in a range of other professional settings. It is also helpful for professionals who wish to acquire additional skills.

 
Theoretical Bridges and the Psychotherapy Process
Introduction

 
Epistemological Foundations

 
Psychotherapeutic Content - Client Experiences

 
Encoding Experiences

 
Psychic Organisations and Processes

 
Target of Change: Behaviour or Reworking and Rebuilding Psychic Organizations

 
Phases of the Change Process and Techniques

 
Techniques and the Therapeutic Relationship

 
Therapist - Client Collaboration

 
Discriminate Use of a Technique

 
Ethical Considerations and the Use of Techniques

 
References

 
 
Empathic Responses
Introduction

 
Empathy: Origin and Definitions

 
Theoretical Aspects

 
Measuring Accurate Empathy

 
The Technique of Empathic Responding

 
Guidelines for Formulating and Communicating Empathic Responses

 
Common Problems and Empathic Inhibitors

 
Illustration: Tania

 
References

 
 
The Experiential Focusing Technique
Introduction

 
Theoretical Aspects

 
The Practice of Experiential Focusing

 
Illustration: Simone

 
References

 
 
The Gestalt Empty-Chair and Two-Chair Techniques
Introduction

 
Part 1: Personality Organization and Processes

 
Primary Motivating Factor

 
Contact and Contact Boundary

 
Stages of Personality Development

 
Subsystems of Personality

 
Processes of Personality Development

 
Organismic Self-Regulation

 
Boundary Disturbances

 
Therapeutic Goals, Role of Therapist and Techniques

 
Part 2: The Gestalt Empty-Chair Technique

 
Unfinished Business

 
The Gestalt Empty-Chair Technique in Action

 
Illustration: Robert

 
Part 3: The Gestalt Two-Chair Technique

 
Theoretical Aspects

 
Procedures Using the Gestalt Two-Chair Technique

 
Illustration: Rick

 
Conclusion

 
References

 
 
The Use of Metaphors in Therapy
Introduction

 
Metaphor: Definition, Structure, and Power

 
Client-Generated Metaphors

 
Types of Client-Generated Metaphors

 
Techniques to Unravel Metaphors

 
Eliciting and Exploring Client-Generated Metaphors

 
Pitfalls in Using Metaphors

 
Ethical Considerations

 
Illustration: Karen

 
References

 
 
Task-Directed Imagery
Introduction

 
Imagery in Context

 
Task-Directed Imagery

 
Illustration: Maylyn

 
References

 
 
Ego-State Therapy
Introduction

 
Ego States: Major Concepts, Development, and Activation

 
The Practice of Ego-State Therapy

 
Illustration: Sonja

 
References

 
 
Solution-Focused Therapy
Introduction

 
Theoretical Aspects

 
The Practice of Solution-Focused Therapy

 
Procedures for Doing Solution-Focused Therapy

 
Illustration: Colleen

 
References

 
 
Cognitive-Behavioural Therapy
Introduction

 
Part 1: Theoretical Aspects

 
Theory of Personality

 
Theory of Psychopathology

 
Part 2: Psychotherapy Procedures and Techniques

 
Goal of Therapy

 
Fundamental Clinical Processes

 
Psychotherapeutic Techniques

 
Part 3: Working with Automatic Thoughts

 
Procedures

 
Illustration: Sébastien

 
Part 4: Working with Schemas

 
Classification of Schemas

 
Schema Processes

 
Procedures

 
Illustration: Sébastien

 
References

 
 
Narrative Therapy
Introduction

 
Theoretical Influences

 
Theoretical Aspects

 
The Practice of Narrative Therapy

 
Method in Working with Narratives

 
Ethical Considerations

 
Illustration: Sonja

 
References

 
 
Self-in-Relationship Psychotherapy
Introduction

 
Major Concepts and Processes

 
Therapeutic Process

 
Illustration: Sofía

 
References

 

'This original and sophisticated book provides advanced students with a focused introduction to the main schools of counselling, offering detailed, accurate and highly specific information about each counselling technique. Ideal reading for postgraduate psychology students, counselling psychology trainees or trainee counsellors, I would recommend this book for my students.' - Dr Fiona Starr, Chartered Clinical Psychologist and Principal Lecturer, School of Health and Social Sciences, Middlesex University

'This book is a pleasure to read. Written in an easy-to-follow format the contents provide the reader with not only the theory of each technique but more importantly the ways in which it can be used. Therapists will find this a useful addition to their bookshelves and to their therapeutic work in general. As someone who taught on Diploma and Masters programmes in Counselling, this book will also be of considerable use to trainee therapists and tutors alike.' - Gladeana McMahon, Co-Director, Centre for Stress Management and Chair of the Association for Coaching UK


excellent resource for students to refresh their learning

Mrs Debbie Mccallum
Community Studies, Truro College
December 10, 2014

excellent resource

Mrs Debbie Mccallum
Community Studies, Truro College
December 10, 2014

I found the Corey text to be a superior text.

Professor J. Roy Gillis
Applied Psychology & Human Development, OISE, Univ of Toronto
November 20, 2013

This book has been recommended to 2nd year BSc Learning Disability and Mental Health sudents in particular, in support of their paractice and theoretical assignments . It has clear explanations of various theories with good examples. A number of students have already borrowed the book and are keen to purchase.

Mrs Jackie Robertson
School of Health, Community and Education Studies, Northumbria University
April 22, 2013

I especially liked chapter 4 on the Gestalt empty chair and two chair technique and chapter 5 on the use of metaphors. It is most unusual to find chapters on these topics in a textbook that isn't written for a specific approach. The chapters are also well-written and suitable for students who do not have a lot of background knowledge.

Ms Ann Walker
Department of Psychology, Sheffield Hallam University
April 13, 2013

We cover how counselling fits in with youth work so this is a useful background to the topic

Mr Baljeet Gill
Youth and Community, Ruskin College Oxford
October 31, 2012

This book is an excellent resource for Higher Education Counselling students. The counsellor/client examples given in each chapter superbly illustrate the chosen therapeutic model. Each chapter ends with some thought prevoking reflective questions. Highly recommended!

Dr Bill Naylor
Development & Society, Sheffield Hallam University
December 13, 2011

Good overview of therapies for introductory level students

A more critical stance throughout or at least clear reference to research for each approach and limitations thereof would be helpful even for such entry level book.

nevertheless a readable book
but not crucial purchase at degree level

Mr Simon Easton
Department of Psychology, Portsmouth University
November 25, 2011

Students find it useful for a general background into the profession

Mr Baljeet Gill
Youth and Community, Ruskin College Oxford
July 12, 2011

Augustine Meier

Micheline Boivin

For instructors

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ISBN: 9781847879585
£35.99

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