An A-Z of Counselling Theory and Practice (Paperback)

It gives me great pleasure to be writing this Preface for a fourth time. When I published the first edition in 1992, it was with some hesitation; how would such a book be received? From the start, it was obvious that it filled a niche. This is has proved to be the case ever since.
In the twelve years since the publication of the first edition, I have been amazed and gratified by how well this book has been received. Students of counselling have found it particularly helpful, but I have been particularly pleased that many counsellors have told me how much they have benefited from dipping into it. One counsellor said that she always had it to hand when counselling, so that she could refer clients to specific parts that she considered might help them. For many colleges it is required or recommended reading.
In creating a fourth edition a decision has to be made as to what new material to include and what to leave out. I have carried out a major restructuring of the book, rationalizing many of the subjects by bringing together related articles rather than scattering them throughout the book.
Many of the older, more fringe, articles have been removed, to be replaced with other articles more pertinent to present-day counselling. Wherever appropriate I have added examples of counselling skills to emphasize the 'practice' part of the book. There are several new articles.
This book draws its inspiration from over thirty years as a counsellor and many years as a teacher of counselling skills, and is an attempt to bring together in one volume many different ideas about counselling and many different approaches.
The number of topics covered is extensive, so it was a deliberate choice of what to include and what to leave out. It is my hope that there is enough detail to provide an insight into the subjects and that the index will act as referral points for people wishing to study specific subjects in more depth. So it is both a reference and a source book.
There is an increasing awareness and interest in counselling as a discipline and in applying the principles to other types of work. Students of counselling, in whatever area, need a handy reference book. This is what I have set out to write. From this book people will be able to dip into theory and practice and taste what is there. I also hope that what they read will help them to explore what particular approach to counselling may best suit them.
The style is deliberately brief and to the point. I felt that long discussion would act as a deterrent, particularly for people who are having to fit counselling training around full-time occupation.
I both hope that you will find this new edition both helpful and instructive.

William Stewart
Eastleigh, Hampshire