Counselling Skills for Social Work

by Lisa Miller

Bringing a range of therapeutic models, with their theoretical underpinnings and skills, directly into a social work context, this core textbook offers a guide to the application of counselling skills to social work practice. `The content of the book is excellent.... The strength lies in its detailed application of ideas to practice. The use of the case material to illustrate application is excellent and works well′ - Helen Cosis-Brown, University of Middlesex The book focuses on eight principal therapeutic models and each of these is explored to illustrate how the underlying theory can be applied to professional practice. The author then identifies the key skills which can be employed for the most effective social work intervention. Key features of the book - a practical skills-based approach - a range of case-studies drawn from a variety of `real-life′ settings - satisfies the benchmark guidelines structuring the new social work degree - end-of-chapter Reflective Questions, Tips for Practice and Tables summarizing the key theoretical concepts and their applications. This is an essential guide to improving communication skills and intervention with service-users. Written in a lively and engaging style it will be an invaluable text for undergraduate students in social work. It will also be useful for qualified practitioners to enhance understanding of communication and the process of change through the medium of counselling skills.

212 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2005

Reviews

[Mikey Novotny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Succinctly highlights areas of practice, coupled with multiple discourses/theories that practitioners can draw upon in therapeutic settings or with clients in general. Some of these approaches complement each other, while others sit comfortably on the other end of a spectrum (i.e. Solution-Focussed vs Person-Centred/Narrative Therapy approaches).
As a new social work practitioner, this is helpful in identifying techniques, theories, practice, and skills that I am drawing upon in the therapeutic environment, as well as learning new ones to develop and utilize.
The book doesn't delve too deeply into each area; the aim of this book is more of an overview and general refresher to theory into practice. The author helpfully puts further resources and information to engage with at the end of each chapter.