Counselling Books

Counselling for Toads – A Psychological Adventure’ by Robert de Board

This is a lovely book and anyone who has had anything to do with counselling will really be able to identify with the characters. It is beautifully written and cleverly manages to take the dryness out of the subject and demonstrate how good counselling can have a life-changing effect.

Person-centred Counselling in Action by Dave Mearns and Brian Thorne

Having read much of Carl Rogers' work, reading this book felt as though someone has suddenly turned the light on! It is an excellent book, clearly written, outlining how the person-centred approach works in practice.

Psychodynamic Counselling in Action by Michael Jacobs

This book is an excellent introduction to the processes involved in the psychodynamic method of counselling. Michael Jacobs takes us from the initial meeting with a client right through to the final session, and clearly explains counselling jargon such as ‘resistance’ and ‘transference’.

Cognitive-behavioural Counselling in Action by Peter Trower, Andrew Casey, and Windy Dryden

This approach is very much in vogue right now and this book explains the theory of CBC clearly and well. It will give the reader an excellent introduction to the CBC model.

Gestalt Counselling in Action by Petruska Clarkson

Drawing on over 30 years as a gestalt practitioner Petruska Clarkson has written a lively and comprehensive introduction to the approach, beginning with the theory and then setting out the six main phases of the process using a hypothetical client called ‘Gary’.

Transactional Analysis Counselling in Action by Ian Stewart

This clear and concise book relates the theoretical principles of Transactional Analysis to practice, and emphasises the client's progress throughout.

Integrative Counselling Skills in Action by Sue Culley

This excellent book really focuses on how a good counsellor can build a healthy relationship with a client, covering all the skills required to do that and facilitate the counselling process. It covers all stages of the counselling relationship and includes a case study at the end, which is very helpful in putting the theory into practice.

Transcultural Counselling in Action by Patricia D'Ardenne and Aruna Mahtani

This book is easy to read and highlights the issues involved in transcultural counselling, using real-life examples to work through and understand them.