1. Becoming a counsellor

Why be a counsellor?
A place to work
Your tools
Assessing your strengths and weaknesses
Getting prepared

2. Theories of counselling: humanistic theories

Client-centred counselling
The psychology of Abraham Maslow
Gestalt theory
Transactional analysis
Existential counselling

3. Counselling skills

What do counsellors actually do
When the client asks for advice
Many problems don't have a solution
When counselling fails
Listening skills
Become an expert listener
Prompts
Questions
Challenging the client
Body language
A note about medical conditions

4. Theories of counselling: psychoanalytic theories

The world of the unconscious
Defence mechanisms
The Id, Ego and the Superego
Psychoanalytic counselling interventions

5. Stress and depression

Stress
Getting the right level of stress
Identifying stress
Conquering stress
Getting in control
Physical changes
Other ways a client can reduce stress
Symptoms of depression
Self image
Getting more sleep
Suicide

6. Theories of counselling - CBT

The cognitive-behavioural counselling theory
Cognitive re-structuring
Skill building interventions
Behavioural modification

7. Counselling young people

Children’s problems
Bedwetting
Children who bully or are being bullied
Disruptive or attention seeking children
Phobias
Eating problems
Separated parents
Child abuse
The adult abuse victim
Adoption
Getting work from schools
Your first meeting with the young person
Family therapy

8. Substance abuse: alcohol and drugs

The counsellor's attitude towards drugs
Smoking
Smoking and the counsellor
Drinking
Tranquillisers
Solvent abuse
Illegal drugs
Cocaine
Heroin
LSD
Amphetamines
Ecstasy
Cannabis
Gambling
Children's gambling
Food
Dealing with the addict
In an emergency

9. Life and love, sexuality and partnerships

Understanding the client’s goals
Marriage guidance and divorce
Adultery
Loss of libido
Infertility
Sexual difficulty
Homosexuality
Cross dressing

10. The elderly. Death and bereavement counselling

Reminiscence therapy
Getting reminiscence therapy work
Counselling the dying
Talking about pain
Talking about death
Counselling the bereaved
Responding to emotion
Physical comforting
What you must not do
The practical aspects of death
About other organisations
Getting paid
Post-traumatic stress syndrome

11. Counselling at work

Getting into a company
Watching for signs of stress
Get it down on paper
Vulnerable people
Helping people become more successful at work
Becoming independent
Improving the relationship with the boss
Time management
Body language
Eight ways to make the right impression
Four ways to use body language
Getting success away from work
A one day course on workplace counselling
Structure for a workplace course on counselling

12. Types of clients

The types of clients
How will you position yourself?
Types of counselling
Talking about counselling
Competition
Responding to a client's question about competitors
Product-based solutions

13. The counselling process

Responding to a prospect’s enquiry
The initial session
Ending the initial session
The client who wants to start straightaway
The counselling process
Helping the client reach a conclusion
Gaining trust
Establishing rapport

14. How to find clients

Sources of work
The internet. Your website.
Print advertising
Writing an ad
Mailshots
A leaflet
Networking
PR
Getting referrals from an organisation
Client referrals
How to find companies and professional organisations
Local companies
Response rates

15. Finance and legal issues

How much should you charge?
Payment
Terminating the sessions
Keeping clients and the bank manager happy
Client files
The ‘form of business’
How to keep financial records in four easy steps
Tax
Indemnity insurance

16. The advanced counsellor

Handling clients you don’t like
Liasing with other professionals
Using transactional analysis
Counselling frameworks

Read more: What you'll find in the pack