Introduction to Counseling: Voices from the Field

The book arrived in good quality ish missing some pages but overall okay. Easy read as well.

This is one of the best textbooks I've had the pleasure to use, and believe me, I've used a lot. It is clear and well-written, and in reading it you understand not just the information it presents but also why that information is important. Each chapter contains many anonymous comments called "Voices from the Field," written by practicing mental health counselors. These "voices" give a sometimes gritty but always authentic perspective that grounds and comforts the student. Here is one example: Of all the theories I've used--and believe me, I've used a bunch--REBT is the one I found most useful in my own life. I don't even practice it that much anymore with my clients, but I still use it every day inside my own head. So often, I get down on myself because I feel like i'm failing my clients or not doing as good a job as I should. Then I hear Ellis's voice in my head, confronting me about my "shoulds" and absolute judgments. It really does work miracles. Why don't I use it anymore with my clients? I don't know. I guess I just got bored with it after a while. It's not that it stopped working; really, it's powerful stuff. It's just that I got tired disputing the same old irrational beliefs over and over. I moved on to something new and more dynamic. But I still use it sometimes with clients who really seem like good candidates for a more confrontational, thinking approach.When I read this account I could almost feel the counselor's weariness and self-doubt. Kottler should be commended for making a strong effort to portray the realities that students will face when they enter the "real world."

A whole page missing, but it will do. Shipping was fast.

Unlike other printings of this book, this version came with newsprint pages instead of standard paper pages, making it difficult to read and nearly impossible to highlight without bleeding through.

This is the second book I have read by Kottler. After a couple of years in a counseling MA program, you start to differentiate between poorly written texts and those that are helpful. Kottler is an engaging writer (no small feat for a textbook) and the "voices from the field" are found throughout the book. For a neophyte counselor, it's reassuring to hear from others in the field whose contributions reflect your own concerns. I took one star away because of the order of chapter topics, which I think could have been organized in a way that flowed better, but I would definitely recommend this book.

On can not say enough how easy of a read this book is. I have never had a text book be so real. I feel like I can truly connect with this book and the author is very knowledgeable about new counselors. Very good insight on what to except and basically a walk though step by step in how to shape your self into a counselor.

I was required to purchase the book for graduate school and was disappointed at first when I saw it was a textbook. However, the book is so interesting I just sat down and read it even before I started class. The author provides so much information about counseling and the personal stories from counselors in the field is a fantastic feature. All of the information in the book is exactly what you want to know as a new counselor. This is a textbook that I will definitely keep and recommend to others.

I needed this textbook for a Graduate class in counseling. I was pleased to find it available to rent at a reasonable price.