The content provides a foundation for values and beliefs needed to make healthy choices, as well as hope and meaning to face life's difficulties. The points raised in the volume are intended to support the spiritual formation of individuals who find themselves questioning the reality of a superior transcendent reasoning power or who face challenges to their growing faith.

The internet provides numerous helpful resources for understanding mental health issues affecting the lives of many people. Companion to "Effective Counseling Skills" by the same author, this volume has been prepared for counselors and the general public to address common life challenges. Part 1 gives the text of practical articles for issues and problems commonly experienced in life including grief, depression, marital difficulties, conflict and communication problems, sexual abuse, suicide, death and dying, anger, loss of caring parents, homosexuality, and addiction. Part 2 is a short lesson book for teachers and school counselors on teaching empathy in the classroom with applications transferrable to the workplace, family life, and personal relationships. Part 3 is a personal Life Story Questionnaire to help increase self-awareness of factors affecting your life and relationships. Simply completing the questionnaire will move you forward in your healing. The articles can also be used freely as handouts in workshops or seminars delivered to schools, church or religious groups, hospital staff.

This book is intended as a resource for researching scriptures and words related to peace and nonviolence.

The definition of professional counseling is to speak and act intentionally for a predictable therapeutic outcome for the person seeking help. Although intended for the experienced or intern counselor or mental health professional, the content is easy to read and may be purchased by the general public. This book is used as the primary text and examination manual of the College of Mental Health Counseling. In addition to providing comprehensive coverage of practical skills and processes used in counseling situations, this volume includes numerous articles on timely topics to increase mental health and awareness, that may be copied and distributed freely.

Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN):2012923369 The definition of professional counseling is to intervene intentionally for a predictable therapeutic outcome for the person seeking help. Professional counselors, therapists, and mental health practitioners derive their living and identity from their knowledge of the special skills and processes described in this book. Based on transcripts of an intensive practical counseling course presented by the author, the style of the manual is conversational with numerous examples of the effective wording of therapeutic statements. Chapter topics include: Clinical Assessment and Suicide Prevention, The Counseling Process and Therapeutic Interventions, Loss and Grief Counseling Skills, Communication and Conflict Resolution Skills, Couple Counseling Strategies, and Counseling Ethics. The Appendix is filled with practical concise articles for common issues and processes in counseling such as: depression, anger, bullying, sexual abuse, relationship/marriage issues, healing infidelity, childhood loss of caring, domestic violence, healing grief, words for dying, suicide prevention, addiction, resolving conflict, and more.

Library of Congress Control Number (LCCN): 2012912261 The main body of this second edition serves as the counselor training and examination manual of the College of Mental Health Counseling and gives away the secrets of effective counselors and therapists. The practical skills and concepts distilled in the present form, are the contributions of countless colleagues and clients who over the years have challenged the creative energies of the author. Effective Counseling Skills is designed to achieve the primary purpose of making counseling skills public knowledge in the belief that the health of society is improved when counseling is known to the most people. The style of the manual is conversational with numerous examples of the practical wording of therapeutic statements. Major topic areas in the main content include an explanation of the client's personal history, suicide prevention, how to begin and deepen the counseling process, helping the client learn healthy ways of relating, moving the client from childhood to maturity, skills for healing grief, and working with couples who want to make progress with issues of conflict, infidelity, addiction, and other common problems. Practical ways to build and manage a counseling practice are presented. A detailed index and table of contents make the volume easy to use as a guide for both the practitioner as well as people seeking help.

It is common and normal to feel anxiety about seeking help from a counselor for the first time. The purpose of this volume is to provide a detailed explanation of what the counselor says and does. Underlying principles of the counseling process are described, beginning with the personal history and proceeding to explore past and present issues and problems. Some key areas include approaches used to build and renew trust and safety throughout the counseling relationship, how painful experiences are explored, and how hope and confidence are strengthened as one moves toward leaving the counselor. The "Counseling Manual" is written as a discussion between an experienced counselor and counselors in training. You as the person seeking help, are eavesdropping as a third party and thereby privy to the inside story of how counselors are formed. While a primary benefit of the manual is to demystify counseling and remove it from the unknown to the known, another important goal is to provide a vehicle for self-awareness. Simply by reading this book, you will gain insight into yourself, seeing your experiences reflected and engaging in a mental process of traveling the path of healing and personal growth before or even as you are seeing a counselor. By knowing the process, you can willingly and consciously open yourself to self-healing in a way that enables you to approach life challenges in a healthy intentional way with renewed confidence in your ability to cope and thrive. Unresolved conflicts and losses in their many forms are common to the human experience. Learning from the distant and recent past and using the strengths already gained, are important for moving forward. Although the patterns of one's life may seem complicated and insurmountable, a grasp of this book will give you a sense of empowerment to rise above and beyond and even incorporate the past though not without taking safe risks to face challenges in new ways that extend the range of possibilities.