The Art of Helping

by Robert R. Carkhuff

This is the ninth edition of The Art of Helping. More than 500,000 copies have been sold over three decades. Literally millions of people have been trained in helping skills. Many more have been recipients of these skills. The effects upon hundreds of thousands of these recipients have been researched. The results are in: skills acquisition and use are spectacularly powerful. This book explains the essential interpersonal skills needed by professional and lay counselors, teachers, business managers, parents, everyone.

Genres: Nonfiction, Psychology

336 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 2009

Reviews

[Jeremy Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want all of this book inside of me and then I want to help everyone. :D I am not sure how to do either of those so I will read again at some stage and then maybe practice somehow.
All throughout are diagrams that are so simple. Even just a stairway. but they link you in to each page. and each page has simple thoughts that at some stages you are like "yeah i knew that" and then in combo with others are such a great and simple and clear way of how we can help people and ourselves process and engage in life.

love it.

[Katie Macy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely not what I thought it would be, but is definitely something that I will keep on my shelf to reference. It is a great, practical manual for those working in helping professions!!

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, Carkhuff! You're like an eccentric but wise professor. Once your readers can figure out your style of speaking, your model makes sense and is helpful.

[Angel Valdivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very clear and to the point. It helps me to deepen in my understanding of Carkhuff's counseling method.

[Asher · Rating 2 out of 5]

This felt overly simplistic, though had some good pieces.

[Agoes · Rating 3 out of 5]

Salah satu bacaan yang dapat memperkaya wawasan orang-orang yang sedang belajar untuk menjadi konselor, khususnya mahasiswa Psikologi. Beberapa konsep yang digunakan dalam beberapa buku tentang counseling/helping biasanya mengutip dari penelitian Carkhuff (misalnya 'The Helping Relationship: Process and Skills'), sehingga saya tertarik untuk membaca buku ini. Yang menarik di buku ini adalah penjelasan dari hasil penelitian Carkhuff mengenai perkembangan therapeutic relationship dan kesulitan yang dialami oleh tiap mazhab besar dalam psikologi. Berdasarkan hasil penelitiannya, maka dia mengembangkan model helping yang berorientasi pada pengembangan diri klien. Buku ini menggunakan bahasa yang mudah dimengerti dan juga disertai dengan berbagai contoh kasus, sehingga tidak akan membuat pembacanya mengalami kebingungan yang besar.

[Tiffany · Rating 2 out of 5]

I've had to re-read this book for a few classes now. And, in parts, I feel like Carkhuff's writing is overly simplistic while others are drowning in details. The process he outlines for attending, responding, personalizing, and initiating with clients is fine. But I am not a fan of the epilogue, where Carkhuff makes the bold claim, " what only random thinkers did throughout the history of mankind, we will all do. What only an occasional relator did, we will all do. What very rare interdependent processors did, we will all do. We will all become generative processors. That is the future-- if there is to be a future for us all!"

[Josh Trice · Rating 3 out of 5]

The content within the book is helpful. I can see myself returning to it in the future to help someone (or myself) out. Many of the points made are things I have tried myself, be it through counseling or self-initializing. I would recommend this to anyone looking for material in the world of counseling or pastoral counseling. It's a good resource to have.

I will note: This book does not need as many pages as it has, lots of pages within are half-empty with blank space making up the entire bottom half of the page.

[Pbro Raul · Rating 5 out of 5]

Carkhuff reflects and engages in active counseling. His strategy is similar to Patton's. I liked to read and reflect on the many examples it provides. Actually, these are relevant to our ministry as full-time pastors. This book is in its ninth edition, still relevant for us in 2019. I recommend this book as a must if you are looking to become a pastor or work as a counselor in the Christian tradition.

[Sam · Rating 2 out of 5]

Full of jargon. A bit wooden in its explanations and case studies. I understand the basic concepts.