Effective Helping: Interviewing and Counseling Techniques, 8th Edition

Barbara F. Okun, Ricki E. Kantrowitz

Copyright 2015
{{checkPublicationMessage('Published', '2014-03-11T00:00:00+0000')}}

Starting At $77.95 See pricing and ISBN options

Instructor Next Steps

Students: Buy now

Effective Helping: Interviewing and Counseling Techniques 8th Edition by Barbara F. Okun/Ricki E. Kantrowitz

Quick Navigation

Overview
Meet the Authors
What's New
Features
Table of Contents
Pricing

Overview

Barbara Okun and Ricki Kantrowitz's practical introduction to counseling has helped thousands of readers become effective and empathic helpers. Logical, easy-to-understand, and applicable, EFFECTIVE HELPING: INTERVIEWING AND COUNSELING TECHNIQUES, Eighth Edition, continues to use a unique framework to help readers enhance their self-awareness and their understanding of contemporary forces. The book is infused with many case examples, dialogues, tables, and experiential exercises. The authors help readers develop basic helping skills based on empathic responsive listening, introduce them to theoretical principles, and enable them to effectively integrate theory and practice in a way that is appropriate to their level of training. The learning-by-practice format promotes the active integration of the skills that will prepare students for the realities of what it's like to be a helper.

Meet the Authors

{{collapseContainerClosed['meet-the-author'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Barbara F. Okun

Barbara F. Okun, Ph.D., is a professor of counseling psychology at Northeastern University and a clinical instructor at Harvard Medical School. She is Training Director of the Counseling/School Doctoral program at Northeastern and teaches and supervises clinical courses. The author of numerous books and articles, Dr. Okun also trains mental health professionals internationally.

Ricki E. Kantrowitz

Ricki E. Kantrowitz, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Westfield State College. She has coordinated the college counseling center, school and mental health counseling master's programs, teaches undergraduate and graduate courses and has trained helping para-professionals and professionals nationally and internationally. She was a visiting lecturer for Semester at Sea and a visiting professor at the Centre for International Mental Health, The University of Melbourne. She has participated in Fulbright-Hays seminars in Korea, Hungary, and Morocco. She is a Non-Governmental Organizations Representative for the World Federation for Mental Health at the United Nations. She maintains a diverse clinical practice.

What's New

{{collapseContainerClosed['whats-new'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

Many exercises and case examples have been expanded to reflect the zeitgeist of the times, particularly with respect to the diversity of populations served and the range of issues helpers face.
Chapter 1 includes new material on emerging populations (e.g., immigrants and refugees, the elderly, military families, returning veterans, individuals with chronic illness, and victims of natural disasters and terrorism). It also discusses changes in healthcare delivery, considers integrative health care and helping approaches, and recognizes issues such as financial stress and the struggling economy.
Chapter 2, “The Helping Relationship,” discusses the impact of personal and cultural values on helpers, and introduces concepts and controversies related to evidence-based treatments.
Chapter 3, “Communication Skills,” includes a discussion of the use of self-disclosure and redirecting as well as additional examples of cultural diversity and the development of helper self-awareness.
Chapter 6, “Current Theoretical Perspectives,” now includes coverage of approaches such as Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy.

Features

{{collapseContainerClosed['features'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

The book helps readers to understand what happens in and what constitutes effective helping. The authors' three-dimensional approach includes relationship/rapport-building and strategy application; communication skills; and issues (values and cognitive topics).
Okun and Kantrowitz help students enhance their self awareness and become better helpers through examples, case vignettes, client-helper dialogues, and experiential exercises that apply to actual counseling and interviewing situations.
Throughout the book, the authors explore traditional and more recent helping theories and a wide range of topics and issues as well as their ramifications for helpers, such as working with reluctant and resistant clients, ethical considerations, being effective in crisis situations, and becoming aware of personal values. Coverage of socio-cultural, political, and economic issues of the 21st century and their impact on human service delivery and human development is also included.
The two chapters on theory serve as a reference for beginning students as well as those who have already taken a counseling theories course. The theories include major traditional models as well as contemporary post-modern models.
The discussion of advanced verbal response skills includes such skills as “processing the relationship.” Silence is discussed as an important technique in the helping relationship. The focus on skill development enhances students' understanding and ability to use these communication skills more effectively.

{{collapseContainerClosed['table-of-contents'] ? 'Show More' : 'Show Less'}}

1. Introduction.
2. The Helping Relationship.
3. Communication Skills.
4. Stage 1: Building Relationships and Establishing Goals.
5. Helping Theory.
6. Current Theoretical Perspectives.
7. Introduction to Strategies.
8. Stage 2: Applying Strategies.
9. Crisis Theory and Intervention.
10. Issues Affecting Helping.
Appendix A. Observer's Guide to Rating Communication Skills.
Appendix B. Sample Psychotherapy Policies.
Appendix C. Sample Client Information Sheet.
Appendix D. What Is the HIPAA Privacy Rule?