Customer Reviews

On Becoming a Counselor: A Basic Guide for Nonprofessional Counselors and Other Helpers

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Have you ever been drawn into a book because you felt like the author was writing especially for you? *On Becoming A Counselor* is warm, human and engaging. It is written for ANYONE who, without extensive psychological training, comes in contact with troubled or anxious people. This contact may be in a work setting, or across the back yard fence: the confused, the suffering, the immature who so often look to others for help.

Mr. Kennedy writes that most of the counseling today is done, not be trained counselors, but by folks like you and me, who find ourselves "chosen" by another to hear a painful story, like it or not; that troubled individuals intuitively know how to seek out those who will listen. The work is especially helpful because it answers the one essential question: What can we really do for another?

From the introduction, Mr. Kennedy writes: "There is no disgrace in not being able to remake people...There is every honor, however, in helping persons move even a few inches closer to self-responsibility, in assisting them to turn in a new a healthier direction in life. The curse of the "amateur" therapists is their determination to change people at all costs, and they frequently blunder, trampling on the sacred places of others' personalities in the process."

*Counselor* provides us with the tools we need to respond to other people's problems with compassion and intelligence, and offers advice on how to take care of ourselves in the process. The added bonus is that Mr. Kennedy is a wonderful writer with a gentle sense of humor. The chapter about people who are resistant to help is called, "I Won't Dance, You Can't Make Me."

Mr. Kennedy has written several books about Catholicism and he is not afraid to ask the tough questions. Please don't discount his wisdom because he is a religious writer. *Counselor* is both secular and intensely spiritual. Kennedy's humanity and compassion come through every word of his remarkable 433 page book.

If you are in any field of counseling, or come across troubled souls, then this book is for you. A real treasure house of wisdom for all of us.

This book is an excellent collection of sound ideas and advice for people who find themselves in counseling roles. While the premise of the book is not to teach you how to become a licensed counselor, and it is not specifically addressed to the professional counselor, the book contains detailed information about the counseling process and pitfalls amateurs should avoid.

For example, one lesson talks about recognizing our motivation towards serving a given person in need of counseling as a potential "rescue fantasy." That is, as counselors we should evaluate why we are involved in trying to provide counseling. Amazingly, when I analyzed it, much of my efforts to help other people were actually expressions of my own fantsies to "save the world." While the authors do not dismiss our fantasies as valid precursors to helping other people, they do help you put these things into perspective.

I highly recommend you read this book if you are interested in helping other people.

This thick and information packed tomb of a book is essential for any individual that practices any sort of counseling!

As I deal mostly with people in religious circles (I'm Clergy), I have found this book to be one of the best reference materials that I have. In fact, I have shared and bought copies of it for my colleagues to peruse.

Highly recommended without any sort of reservation.

This books provides a soup to nuts guide for the non professional and professional counseller. It's unique in that it answers every question you could possibly have, concisely and simply. A must read for anyone who help others. You'll be glad you read it.

This book is excellent for lay people who want to be a good advisor to friends and family, or educated professionals who need a reference. The book goes in depth to make the reader confident enough to offer sound advice as well as develop their listening skills. Complicated topics like HIV/AIDS are discussed, as are personality disorders and other mental illness issues. The book provides an excellent base to make a helper useful, but also recognizes limitations and when to consult a knowledgeable professional. When I was looking for a book to help me re-develop my counseling skills, this book was by far the best resource.

I needed to buy this book for a class I'm taking. The first part of the book is loaded with analogies and made it difficult to stay with it. I have since moved into the 2nd part of the book and find it presented in a more textbook fashion, which is what I'm looking for to write a paper from.

I am a social worker and have been working in the field of child welfare, principally child abuse and neglect, for twenty years. I was transitioning from another career without the inconvenience of a formal college degree. This is the first book I read twenty years ago and I decided to read it again when I saw that there was an updated version. Reading this book again, now with the perspective of a bona fide professional, reinforces for me what a great resource this book it. It is an excellent book to read for those who find themselves in some sort of counseling or helping profession or role. It offers practical advice that is easy to understand and apply. Now after twenty years in a helping profession, I see the benefit for the professional as well. Too often professionals forget some common sense, practical things and this book has been a wonderful resource for me. Actually, I would recommend, and have, this book to anyone. We all find ourselves in relationship with people who need the comforting, supportive, and helpful presence of another.