The Helping Relationship: Process and Skills

I'm currently a psychologist, and this book was assigned for one of my undergraduate courses in counseling techniques. It provides a basic overview of fundamental helping skills appropriate to a wide variety of situations. Particularly useful is the section on "Helping Skills for Understanding," which includes detailed explanations of the various skills which contribute to active listening. The information on problem-solving and other behavior strategies offer some utility as well, but the minimal attention given to more advanced behavioral skills does not do these areas justice. Similarly, the chapter on loss and crisis provides some useful information, but it also oversimplifies an extremely complex area. This book is best utilized as a basic introduction to helping strategies, and it would be useful to such populations as peer counselors, students, volunteers, etc.