Previous ed.: published as by John McLeod. 2007.

1.An invitation to counselling -- Introduction -- A narrative approach -- Making a space to talk it through -- Learning counselling skills -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 2.A model of embedded counselling -- Introduction -- A model of embedded counselling -- The person seeking help -- The counsellor -- Case examples of sensitivity to the client's beliefs about learning and change -- The organizational setting -- The process of embedded counselling -- A summary of key ideas -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 3.Counselling skills: basic building blocks of embedded practice -- Introduction -- The emergence of a skills perspective -- The experience of learning and using skills -- Counselling skills models -- Three-stage models of counselling skill -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 4.An A-Z of counselling skills -- Introduction -- An A-Z of counselling skills --

Using theory to develop a broader perspective on how skills fit together -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 5.The counselling menu: goals, tasks and methods -- Introduction -- The concept of the counselling menu -- Clarifying the client's goals -- Counselling tasks -- Methods -- The key skill in using the counselling menu: shared decision-making -- An example of goals, methods and tasks in practice: Joey's emotional journey -- Being on the alert for things going wrong -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 6.Negotiating organizational realities -- Introduction -- An overview of organizational issues in counselling -- Building a personal and professional support network -- Developing a database of resources -- Making sense of organizations -- Creating a space for counselling -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 7.Ethical principles for embedded counselling -- Introduction --

Examples of ethical dilemmas in embedded counselling -- Core ethical principles -- Working within the law -- Negotiating informed consent -- Examples of conversations around informed consent -- Confidentiality -- Being aware of your limits as a counsellor -- Taking care around dual relationships -- Sensitivity to cultural differences in moral standpoint -- Dealing with risk and self-harm -- Using touch -- Ethical decision-making -- The concept of boundary -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 8.Working collaboratively: building a counselling relationship -- Introduction -- The idea of building a relationship -- A safe relationship: being trustworthy, reliable and dependable -- Being genuine -- Caring -- Working collaboratively -- Theoretical frameworks for making sense of counselling relationships -- The person-centred counselling relationship -- The psychodynamic perspective on the counselling relationship --

The transactional analysis (TA) approach to making sense of relationships -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 9.Exploring issues to make meaning and develop understanding -- Introduction -- Empathic engagement -- Empathic engagement as a process: the Barrett-Lennard model -- Summing up empathic engagement -- Telling the story -- Questioning -- Opening the door: using vivid language, imagery and metaphor -- Conclusions: how and why ̀just talking' can make a difference -- Suggested further reading -- 10.Making sense of a specific problematic reaction -- Introduction -- Examples of problematic reactions -- Making sense of problematic events: theoretical perspectives -- Counselling methods for working on problematic reactions -- A case example -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 11.Resolving difficult feelings and emotions -- Introduction -- Making sense of emotion -- Types of emotion tasks in counselling --

Methods for working with emotions in counselling -- Making use of supervision -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 12.Working together to change behaviour -- Introduction -- Why behaviour change is hard to achieve -- Doing something different: step-by-step progress -- How does the problematic behaviour fit into your life as it is? -- Counselling methods for facilitating behaviour change -- A narrative perspective on behaviour change -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 13.Problem-solving, planning and decision-making -- Introduction -- Examples of problem-solving and decision-making tasks in counselling -- Problem-solving and decision-making skills and strategies -- Systematic approaches to problem-solving and decision-making -- An example of motivational interviewing in action -- When decision-making and problem-solving gets stuck -- An example of problem-solving gone wrong -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading --

14.Finding, analysing and acting on information -- Introduction -- Examples of collecting and using information in embedded counselling -- When the counsellor-practitioner is the source of information -- Methods for making effective use of information in counselling -- Conceptualizing information-gathering as a ̀personal research project' -- Using self-help literature -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 15.Undoing self-criticism and enhancing self-care -- Introduction -- Examples of self-criticism and lack of self-care -- Making sense of self-criticism: theoretical perspectives -- Methods for undoing self-criticism and enhancing self-care -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 16.Negotiating life transitions -- Introduction -- Examples of episodes of embedded counselling around transition issues -- Making sense of transition: theoretical perspectives -- Methods for working with clients around negotiating a life transition --

Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 17.Dealing with difficult relationships -- Introduction -- An example of embedded counselling around difficulties in relationships -- Methods for working with relationship issues -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 18.Coming to terms with bereavement and loss -- Introduction -- An example of a task-oriented approach to bereavement counselling -- Making sense of the experience of loss and grief -- Methods for working with bereavement issues -- The organizational context of bereavement work -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 19.Dealing with difficult situations in counselling -- Introduction -- Losing it -- Referring on -- When confrontation may be necessary -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 20.Taking account of cultural diversity -- Introduction -- Making sense of cultural diversity -- Practical counselling strategies: responding effectively to cultural diversity --

Conclusions -- Suggested further reading -- 21.Putting it all together: using supervision and consultation to do good work -- Introduction -- Counselling embedded within other professional roles: integrating knowledges -- Using supervision, consultation and support -- Assembling a ̀toolbox' of methods -- Avoiding burnout -- Personal therapy for counsellors -- Making use of research and inquiry -- Conclusions -- Suggested further reading.