Principles of Counseling and Psychotherapy

Paul R. Peluso, PhD, LMHC, LMFT is Senior Associate Dean in the College of Education and Professor in the Department of Counselor Education at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, Florida, USA.

"I wish I had this book during my clinical training. It is a well-designed roadmap for how we think about clients and the clinical process. It would have helped me in the early years to avoid drifting without direction." Marty Jencius, Professor of Counseling, Kent State University"The holy grail of effective counseling is to support the complex personal and social issues that affect clients’ lives in ways that are accessible and transferable. The nonlinear approach pierces through this paradox and gives mental health providers a framework that encourages helpfulness without compromising the rich dimensionality of living. This text is my go-to recommendation for novice counselors entering the profession and for seasoned professionals who might benefit from the virtues of adopting a beginner’s mindset." Matthew E. Lemberger-Truelove, Professor of Counseling, University of North Texas"This book provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the reader to gain a comprehensive understanding of the landscape of competent counseling. Organized around seven competency domains, the book goes beyond equipping the reader to learn basic counseling skills. The reader is also prepared to implement essential aspects of effective counseling that are seldom discussed, including the art and skill of thinking like a therapist. Peluso provides relatable examples and vast opportunities for practice in this gem for counseling skills training." Melanie M. Iarussi, PhD, Associate Professor and Department Chair, Nova Southeastern University

• Acknowledgment Introduction: Learning to Think Like a Therapist: Characteristics of Expert Therapist Thinking and Why It Is Important to Learn How to Think Like a Therapist 1. Overview of the State of Psychotherapy and the Domains of Competence 2. The Domain of Connecting with and Engaging the Client: Listening 3. The Domain of Connecting with and Engaging the Client: Responding 4. The Domain of Assessment: Clients’ Symptoms, Stages of Change, Needs, Strengths, and Resources 5. The Domain of Assessment: The Theme Behind a Client’s Narrative, Therapeutic Goals, and Client Input About Goal Achievement 6. The Domain of Establishing and Maintaining the Therapeutic Relationship and the Therapeutic Alliance: Relationship Building 7. The Domain of Establishing and Maintaining the Therapeutic Relationship and the Therapeutic Alliance: The Therapeutic Alliance 8. The Domain of Understanding Clients’ Cognitive Schemas: Foundations 9. The Domain of Understanding Clients’ Cognitive Schemas: Assessment and Clinical Conceptualization 10. The Domain of Addressing and Managing Clients’ Emotional States: Basic Understandings 11. The Domain of Addressing and Managing Clients’ Emotional States: Managing Common Negative Emotions in Therapy 12. The Domain of Addressing and Resolving Ambivalence: Understanding and Identifying Client Ambivalence 13. The Domain of Addressing and Resolving Ambivalence: Working with and Resolving Client Ambivalence 14. Summary and the Disengagement/Engagement Hypothesis