Counseling Theory and Practice

Developed for helping professionals, Counseling Theory and Practice explains what it means to be an effective helper, discusses foundations of classic counseling and psychotherapy theories, provides an overview of emerging theories, and gives students the opportunity to develop their own approaches to counseling and psychotherapy practice.

The book is organized into four primary sections, each addressing theoretical schools. Section 1 explores psychodynamic approaches, including psychoanalysis, Jungian therapy, and Adlerian therapy. Section 2 is devoted to existential-humanistic approaches such as existential therapy, Gestalt therapy, and person-centered counseling, while Section 3 discusses cognitive-behavioral approaches, including behavior therapy, cognitive behavior therapy, rational-emotive behavior therapy, and reality therapy. Section 4 describes post-modern therapies and examines the relatively new approaches of narrative therapy, solution-focused brief therapy, and relational cultural therapy, a form of feminist therapy. The final chapter explores a number of more recent and emerging theories.

Informative and engaging, Counseling Theory and Practice is well-suited to courses for both pre-service professionals and those already in the field.

Dr. Edward Neukrug is a professor of counseling and human services at Old Dominion University. A licensed professional counselor and licensed psychologist, he has experience in outpatient therapy, crisis counseling, substance abuse counseling, couples and family counseling, private practice, and as a school counselor. Dr. Neukrug is a nationally known author, presenter, and researcher. He is the author of eleven books: The Dictionary of Counseling and Human Services; Skills and Techniques for Human Service Professionals; Counseling Theory and Practice (2nd ed.); The World of the Counselor (5th ed.); Experiencing the World of the Counselor: A Workbook for Counselor Educators and Students (4th ed.); Theory, Practice and Trends in Human Services: An Introduction to An Emerging Profession (6th ed.); Essentials of Testing and Assessment for Counselors, Social Workers, and Psychologists (3rd ed.); A Brief Orientation to Counseling: Professional Identity, History, and Standards (2nd ed.); Skills and Tools for Today's Counselors and Psychotherapists; Counseling and Helping Skills: Critical Techniques for Becoming a Counselor; and Sage Encyclopedia of Theory in Counseling and Psychotherapy (editor).