Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management Approach to Helping [Hardcover]

Gerard Egan (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 053434948X | ISBN-13: 978-0534349486 | Publication Date: July 17, 1997 | Edition: 6th

Aimed at helpers, this text emphasizes the collaborative nature of the therapist-client relationship and using a practical, three-stage model that drives client problem-managing and opportunity-developing action, leads readers step-by-step through the counselling process, while giving them a feeling for the complexity inherent in any helping relationship. As readers master the various steps of the helping model, they should be able to improve their competence and confidence measurably.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 377 pages
• Publisher: Wadsworth Pub Co; 6th edition (July 17, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 053434948X
• ISBN-13: 978-0534349486
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #324,996 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The skilled manual, April 2, 2000

By 

Vinny Jagatia (Birmingham, England) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management Approach to Helping (Hardcover)

The Skilled Helper is a comprehensive manual for counsellors in helping clients. It highlights the collaborative relationship between the counsellor and client that enables successful counselling. The book intricately works through step by step through Egan's three-stage model. The introduction takes the reader through the history of the model and then addresses whether helping is needed and the problems helpers may come across. It puts to rest what the book is about and what the book is not about, i.e. it is a manual, yet not the total curriculum. It is good in highlighting the need for sensitivity in the cultural sense as well as the flexibility of the model. It goes to great lengths to state that each case is individual and must be treated so. `The helping model, while providing guidance, must remain flexible to the needs of the client. One form of rigidity is to drag clients mechanically through the stages and steps of the model.' The book demonstrates how to achieve respect, genuineness and empathy to make the client feel valued, accepted and prepared to trust the counsellor. That environment will enable the client to explore, understand and take action, the main components within Egan's model. I like the way that Egan highlights all the components of the model in the chapters, explains them in detail, if necessary offering definitions, and then with the aid of case studies, shows how they can be applied, and what results they could produce. For example: `Do not be surprised when clients react strongly to being challenged. In the following example, the helper has just delivered a brief summary of the problem situation to the client and has gently pointed out the self-destructive nature of some of his behaviours. Helper: I'm not sure how all this sounds to you. Client: I thought you were on my side. Now you sound like all the others. And I'm paying you to talk like this to me! Even though the helper was tentative in his challenge, the client still reacts defensively. Here are two different approaches to the client's defensiveness. Helper A: All I've done is summarise what you have been saying about yourself. Let's look at each point and see if this isn't the case. Helper B: So it sounds harsh and unfair to you.... Maybe dumping all this on you is unfair.... Let's back up.' Egan shows us both outcomes Helper A confronts the client and may well lead to an argument, where as Helper B backs up and allows the client space. These sorts of scenarios appear throughout the book. He also offers personal evaluation strategies as well as boxes that highlight questions that need to be asked or addressed in order to help the client. I think that this an excellent book for those in the helping profession. It proves to be a good informative read, and can easily be followed. It is a valuable resource that can easily be referred to.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant resource for counselling !!!, April 23, 2001

By 

Lim Ti Leong "ti_leong" (Singapore) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management Approach to Helping (Hardcover)

Egan "Skilled Helper" - Provides readers with the basics of being a counsellor/therapist. It is not the laymen's term of "basics" - But I refer to as the real fundamental & technicalities (basics) of being a counsellor/therapist. This book is very detailed, informative, easy to understand and very well structured in organised. The book begins with the chapter of defining `helping' - such as what is helping all about, goals of helping, the `downside' (messiness) & `upside' of helping.

Subsequent chapters of the book are really `stimulating' (very detailed & fruitful) - what I meant is that it provides readers what is required to be an efficient counsellor/therapist - the basics ingredients for an effective relationship between the client and the therapist. Very detailed information is provided writing in the book - topics relating counselling skills such as `attendance', `listening skills, basic & advanced empathy, summarising, paraphrasing, probing, reflection of feelings, the skiller helper model - reflecting counselling process etc..,

This book is divided into 6 major parts - each comprising of about 3 chapters: [Part 1] features introduction, overview of the skiller-helping model (decision making process practiced by counsellors/therapist in counselling), the helping relationship - i.e the counselling relationship between client and therapist - how counselling relationship is influenced by norms, multi-cultural + helping clients develop empowerment - responsibility for themselves. [Part 2] features on topics related to basic microskills for helping - communication skills of attending, listening, understanding, basic empathy, using the art of `probing' and `summarising' to assist the client in achieving concreteness and clarity ~ some clients may have problems in expressing themselves - use of probe enhances clarity of what client is expressing. [Part 3] features on topics related back to part 1 `Egan Skiller-Helper Model' and the use of advanced communication skills - empathy, direct mutual self talk, encouraging self-challenge, dealing w/ reluctant and resistant clients, helping clients challenge themselves, clients working on rational decision making - setting goals etc., [Part 4] features on helping clients determine what they need and want - using skills of divergent thinking, creativity, brainstorming, establishing & formulating goals that are realistic, clear & specific - commitment building issues relating to the client etc... [Part 5] featuring on `strategies' topics for assisting the client in getting what they want, choosing and implementing a `best-fit' strategy for the particular client, plan-implementation process for the client (assisting client in making plans to achieve their desired goals) Lastly [Part 6] features on topics on assisting clients to be effective tacticians, such as topics on dealing with procrastination, obstacles in plan-implementation, etc..,

Egan `Skiller-Helper' is an excellent resource for students who wishes to focus or specialised in counselling, it is also beneficial for existing counsellors who wish to refine their skills. I have been reading the book a couple of times and still feel that the book is an excellent resource for guiding the counsellor in developing "WIN-WIN" relationships with their clients!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My 100-word book review, March 14, 2006

By 

A. J. Cull (London, UK) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Skilled Helper: A Problem-Management Approach to Helping (Hardcover)

Egan's The Skilled Helper is a classic resource, practical and outcome-oriented, for those of us involved in the helping professions (not only counselling but also related fields such as life coaching.) As a student who has mostly been exposed to the Rogerian, client-centred model of counselling, I am interested by Egan's pragmatic approach, where empathy is not seen to be an end in itself but, in the later stages of the helping process, becomes secondary to the search for desirable outcomes. Egan's discussion of the "shadow side" of helping, where good intentions can have poor results, is also highly useful.