First Steps in Counselling is essentially a book about helping and this fifth edition has been updated and revised with the help of two co-authors; Paula J Williams and Andy Rogers. It is for anyone thinking of becoming a counsellor, working or volunteering in a role that requires helping and listening skills, or simply caring for someone. It explains in clear language what counselling is, the theories on which it is based, how it works and how it is positioned in relation to contemporary debates about culture, politics, language, race and power. This is not a ‘how to help' manual; rather it is a questioning, curious, explorative and challenging companion. It aims to be your guide along whichever route you are taking, answer your questions and help you decide if you want to take your interest in counselling to the next steps. First Steps in Counselling remains the text of choice for students and tutors of introductory courses.

I've given this a pretty high rating as it answered just about all the questions I had about person-centred counselling at an introductory level, gives a very good over-view of other counselling approaches and is written in an engaging and interactive way.

Interactive, because there are side panels with exercises, either written, reflective or experiential, to help illustrate the points in the text.

A good foundational book. ( )

Counselling