Fundamentals of Crisis Counseling

Book excerpt: An indispensable handbook for assisting clients in crisis and in their journey toward healing Integrating practical training with both research and theory, Fundamentals of Crisis Counseling offers students and professionals proven hands-on techniques to assist clients in recovery from crisis and towards an eventual return to their day-to-day lives. Written in the author's gentle yet purposeful voice, this reader-friendly guide is filled with lessons on current evidence-based counseling, how to operate as a client stress manager, and information on finding resources that facilitate client resilience. In addition, the author helps counselors improve counseling effectiveness by gaining a better understanding of their own strengths and weaknesses and emphasizes the importance of self-care. Stemming from the author's thirty-five years of experience as a crisis counselor, this book contains valuable information on: Crisis theory and intervention models Concepts, techniques, assessment, and treatment for disaster mental health work Legal and ethical concerns regarding working with individuals, groups, couples, and families Assessment and instrument selection Main concepts and techniques of brief therapy, motivational interviewing, stages of change, positive psychology, grief therapy, client resilience, and spirituality Multicultural crisis counseling techniques centered on age, gender, sexual orientation, and ethnicity Counselor self-care complete with case studies and examples Ideal for all mental health professionals looking for guidance on best practices in crisis counseling, this book is also suitable for training professionals and counseling students. The book includes access to an online instructor's test bank, PowerPoint slides, and syllabi in line with 2009 Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs (CACREP) standards. Fundamentals of Crisis Counseling imparts useful knowledge on little utilized crisis counseling abilities, preparing counselors at every stage to effectively respond to the immediate and lasting affects of crisis.