Book Review: Counselling Skills And Theory

 📚 Book Review 📚 

Title: Counselling Skills and Theory

Author: Margaret Hough

Genre: Non-fiction//Textbook 

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I first bought this book as part of my Level 3 Certificate in Counselling Skills, but never had the chance to read it back to back. It was used mostly as a reference book. Having read it in its entirety, its safe to say that it isn’t likely to be read for leisure. But for its intended purposes, I.e. a textbook on counselling, it more than does the job.

Written in a basic, down-to-Eath style, this book presents the major “schools of thought” present in the counselling world. This book is suitable for every student in the field; from introductory courses through to diploma level. I personally found it very pertinent to the Level 2 and Level 3 CPCAB counselling courses. 

This is an excellent teaching aid, with case studies and discussion exercises scattered generously throughout. Helpfully, this book also explains how to maintain a learning journal, something most course providers expect from their students.

Listed at the end of each chapter are handouts, references, recommendations for further reading, and resources. 

I liked the balanced mix of theory and skills outlined for each approach; not to mention the limits of each approach. For burgeoning counsellors, the book presents a realistic view: not every approach may suit every client.

Have you used this book yet?