What causes human beings to make a significant change in their lives, a transformative shift in thinking and actions? Research has shown that even in cases of unqualified success, a therapist and their client often have wildly different views on what made it work. Taking that as his starting point, Jeffrey Kottler leads the reader on an exploration of human behaviour, seeking to find out what it is that really makes a difference that can lead to transformative and lasting change.
The therapist's journey -- Struggles for power and influence -- Personal and professional lives -- On being a therapeutic storyteller- and listener -- How clients change their therapists -- Hardships of therapeutic practice -- Being imperfect, living with failure -- Patients who test our patience -- Boredom and burnout -- That which is not said : myths and secrets -- Lies we tell ourselves- and others -- Self-care prospects and realities : becoming models for our clients -- Alternative therapies for therapists -- Toward creativity and personal growth -- On being a client : how to get the most from therapy.
Focusing on how to conduct and lead groups in a variety of therapeutic settings, Learning Group Leadership: An Experiential Approach, Third Edition covers theory, process, leadership, ethics, special populations, and challenges as they relate to group work in a positive, realistic, and knowledgeable way. Jeffrey A. Kottler and Matt Englar-Carlson introduce important conceptual and practical information and then use activities, exercises, field study assignments, and personal application questions to help students apply concepts to their work and lives. The fully updated Third Edition brings concepts to life through “student voices” in every chapter, examples drawn from the authors’ combined 55-plus years of experience, and demonstration video content that contains sessions corresponding with every chapter. “This is the best book out there for introducing students to the complex world of groups. The text delivers what it promises in the title. It teaches counseling graduate students how to become solid group leaders (or—to be more precise—how to begin their journey in that direction), and it does this in a way that is positive, knowledgeable, and realistic.…The most impressive aspect of the material is the authors’ focus on the experiential approach (training students to be group leaders), combined with an accessible writing style, a lot of knowledge, and an enthusiastic attitude.” —Marilyn MacGregor, Western New Mexico University “It’s clear that the authors have a wealth of experience with counseling groups—information is conversationally presented and realistically discussed." —Marla J. Muxen, South Dakota State University “This book is very readable and clearly explains the points it makes using accessible examples which students can readily understand. Skills discussed can be appreciated and applied to whatever personal experience of facilitating groups the student already has; as such it is a text which ‘grows with the student.’” —Corinne Hutt Greenyer, University of Southampton
Highly practical and student centered, Applied Helping Skills: Transforming Lives, is an experiential text focusing on basic skills and core interventions. Although it has a consistent a big-picture perspective, this book emphasizes the role of counselors to make contact with their individual clients, to help them feel understood, and to clarify the major issues that trouble them.
For more than thirty years, On Being a Therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. In this thoroughly revised and updated fifth edition, Jeffrey Kottler explores many of the challenges that therapists face in their practices today, including pressures from increased technology, economic realities, and advances in theory and technique. He also explores the stress factors that are brought on from managed care bureaucracy, conflicts at work, and clients' own anxiety and depression. This new edition includes updated sources, new material on technology, new problems that therapists face, and two new chapters: "On Being a Therapeutic Storyteller-and Listener" and "On Being a Client: How to Get the Most from Therapy." Generations of students and practitioners in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, and human services have found comfort and confidence in On Being a Therapist, and this Fifth Edition -- intended to be the author's last major update to the seminal work -- only builds upon this solid foundation as it continues to educate helping professionals everywhere.
A Brief Primer of Helping Skills is a highly readable, accessible, and practical introduction to the skills of helping and making a difference in people's lives. In an engaging and concise style, author Jeffrey A. Kottler gives students in various professions an overview of the theory, process, and skills of helping methods. It is designed as an operating manual for those in human service professions to learn the basics involved in developing helping relationships, assessing and diagnosing complaints, promoting exploration and understanding, and designing and implementing action plans. Key Features Offers a brief introduction to the helping process: Written in an accessible and conversational style, this book helps students and professionals become familiar with the basic process quickly. Provides personal applications: This book helps students enrich their lives while learning how to be more helpful to others. Includes applications to a variety of settings and disciplines: Students can actually use material and skills in the book in all the various domains in which they function—at work, in volunteer agencies, with friends and family. Uses an integrative approach: The best features of all major theories and research are combined into a unified model of helping that is responsive to different needs. Intended Audience This supplemental text is ideal for introductory undergraduate and graduate courses such as Introduction to Social Work, Introduction to Counseling, and Introduction to Human Services in the fields of counseling, psychology, human services, social work, education, family studies, marital and family therapy, pastoral work, nursing, human resource development, and other helping professions. It is also an excellent resource for beginning practitioners.
In Myths, Misconceptions, and Invalid Assumptions about Counseling the authors examine the science, art, and certainties and uncertainties of psychotherapy. In this book we have selected several dozen issues in our field, many of which are considered generally accepted principles or operating assumptions. We put them under close scrutiny to examine them more carefully. We've considered a wide variety of subjects, ranging from those that relate to our espoused beliefs, theoretical models, favored techniques and interventions, to accreditation and licensing requirements. We have also addressed some of the sanctioned statements about the nature and meaning of empirically supported and evidence based treatments. We even question what we can truly "know" for sure and how we can be certain these things are true. When considering the efficacy of psychotherapy, there is overwhelming evidence that the vast majority of clients are significantly improved as a result of our treatments. Advances in the models, methods, and strategies during the last few decades have allowed us to work more swiftly and efficiently, to reach a much more economically and culturally diverse population. But do we really know and understand as much as we pretend to? Is the foundation upon which we stand actually as stable and certain as we think, or at least claim to believe? Are the major assumptions and "truths" that we take for granted and accept as foundational principles really supported by solid data? And how might these assumptions, beliefs, and constructs we hold so sacred perhaps compromise and limit increased creativity and innovation? These are some of the uncomfortable and provocative questions that we wish to raise, and perhaps challenge, so that we might consider alternative conceptions that might further increase our effectiveness and improve our knowledge base grounded with solid evidence"--
Although the impact that clients can have on therapists is well-known, most work on the subject consists of dire warnings: mental health professionals are taught early on to be on their guard for burnout, compassion fatigue, and countertransference. However, while these professional hazards are very real, the scholarly focus on the negative potential of the client-counselor relationship often implies that no good can come of allowing oneself to get too close to a client's issues. This sentiment obscures what every therapist knows to be true: that the client-counselor relationship can also effect powerful positive transformations in a therapist's own life. The Client Who Changed Me is Jeffrey Kottler and Jon Carlson's testimony to the significant and often life-changing ways in which therapists have been changed by their patients. Kottler and Carlson draw not only upon their own extensive experience - between them, they have more than fifty years in the field - but also upon lengthy interviews with dozens of the country's foremost therapists and theorists. This novel work presents readers with a truly unique perspective on the business of therapy: not merely how it appears externally, but how practitioners experience it internally. Although these stories paint a complex and multi-layered portrait of the client-counselor relationship, they all demonstrate the profound and unexpected rewards that the profession has to offer.
Madness can afford the individual certain resources and abilities that are not available to others. The fantasy life, free flight of ideas, distortions of reality, and heightened senses . . . offer a unique perspective on the world." —From the Introduction Why do some extraordinary individuals overcome mental anguish and produce brilliant creative artistry that is often enhanced by their madness? New York Times best-selling author and noted psychologist Jeffrey Kottler explores this fascinating question in Divine Madness. His book is filled with the compelling stories of emotional turmoil that many great artists have undergone as they struggle for success and survival. Jeffrey Kottler writes about the dramatic and tragic lives of cultural icons Sylvia Plath, Judy Garland, Mark Rothko, Ernest Hemingway, Virginia Woolf, Charles Mingus, Vaslav Nijinsky, Marilyn Monroe, Lenny Bruce, and Brian Wilson. In this riveting book, Kottler highlights the personal story of each of these extraordinary individuals and analyzes how they struggled to overcome their emotional hardships. Divine Madness clearly differentiates between those who surrendered to their illness, often taking their own lives, and those who managed to endure and even recover. Kottler details how their profound psychological issues affected their lives and work, their great productivity and success, and how they strove to achieve some kind of personal stability. The fascinating and brilliantly told stories in Divine Madness help us to find meaning in the incredible lives of these artists. They also serve as an inspiration for those who are grappling to rise above their own challenges and limitations and express themselves more productively and creatively.
Therapists are struggling to adapt both to their profession's changing landscape (such as the advent of managed care and the burgeoning of new theories and treatment approaches) and to demands on their professional and personal success. This book explores many issues that are rarely addressed in formal educational experiences for example, organizational politics, the negative "side effects" of being a therapist, keeping up with cutting-edge innovations, sustaining a private practice, and planning for the future and offers concrete suggestions for adapting to the world outside graduate school. Personal, easygoing writing style, the hallmark of Kottler's previous bestselling books, makes this an engaging and provocative read.
We live in a world of groups. Almost every facet of daily existence, whether sitting in meetings, collaborating with coworkers, attending classes or programs, contributing to community or social events, participating in family gatherings, even enjoying coffee or meals with friends, takes place in group contexts. In addition, everyone finds themselves in leadership positions at one time or another, responsible for the welfare of others. It is curious, but nevertheless commonplace, that counselors, therapists, teachers, business leaders, executives, coaches, and other helping professionals, who have been specifically trained in group leadership, often fail to apply their knowledge and skills to settings in which they might matter most. The same practitioners who guide others may not be able-or willing-to put that background to work when they find themselves supervising peers, leading meetings, or even managing conflict at the dinner table. Many, if not most, people experience required meetings and mandated group collaborations as tedious, repetitive, and often a waste of time that could be spent doing other things that feel far more productive"--
Diverse in subject matter and intensely personal, Living and Being a Therapist: A Collection of Readings gathers together many of the seminal chapters, articles, and essays written by renowned psychotherapist and author Jeffrey Kottler throughout his career. The text boldly explores the complex personal challenges therapists and counselors experience during practice, as well as some of the universal issues and challenges that all of us encounter. The anthology contains three dozen written works that illuminate Jeffrey's personal experiences with the joys, pitfalls, and profound revelations that naturally accompany the practice of counseling and therapy. Divided into five sections, the readings cover topics including ethical and moral dilemmas, feelings of inadequacy and hypocrisy, the challenge of weathering failures, the development of close relationships with clients and loved ones, and much more. Filled with thought-provoking introspections, and delivered with Jeffrey's trademark honesty, Living and Being a Therapist is an authentic and enlightening read. Jeffrey A. Kottler is one of the most prominent authors in the fields of counseling, psychotherapy, health, and education, having written over 100 books across a broad range of topics. He is a clinical professor in the Menninger Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science at the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston and professor emeritus of counseling at California State University, Fullerton. He has served as a counselor, therapist, supervisor, educator, and social justice advocate in a variety of professional settings throughout his career.
This unique review of therapeutic theories gives students knowledge and skills for clinical practice while presenting key concepts that are immediately and directly applicable to their lives. Thus, Theories of Counseling and Therapy: An Experiential Approach bridges the gap between complex models of counseling and psychotherapy and students' own personal experiences. Readers are introduced to key ideas and concepts in the discipline and encouraged to apply them in mea
Take a proactive approach with your most challenging students! This second edition of a bestseller gives teachers a model to assess, understand, and respond to challenging students, plus new tables, charts, and reflection questions. Offering real-life scenarios from interviews with teachers, counselors, and school administrators, this updated volume provides: More tips for developing active listening skills that improve communication with students Suggestions for creating caring communities in the classroom A new section on dealing with aggressive and violent behavior Information on understanding parent behavior and suggestions for building positive connections with parents and families
Every profession has trade secrets that are passed on from one generation to the next and counseling is no exception. These cherished lessons based on wide-ranging experiences and passion for the craft are shared by masters with students and colleagues and include fresh ideas, noteworthy interventions, and even little tricks learned over time that increase both professional effectiveness and personal satisfaction. These unique practices are captured in this entertaining book that collects the wisdom of some of the most accomplished practitioners in the field, those who have been most influential in developing theoretical approaches, clinical innovations, and standards of practice. These master clinicians disclose ingenious methods and practical tips to better serve clients. Discussing techniques that have been mostly kept private until now, they talk about their creative breakthroughs, spiritual transcendences, monumental successes, and their own developmental adjustments over time. They also reveal some of their most unusual cases, disappointing failures, and disturbing deceptions, and share stories about the clients who have changed them. New practitioners and veterans alike will find innovative ways to remain fresh and engaged with clients. Because of its focus on practical knowledge and useful strategies, this book can be used as a supplemental text in a variety of introductory and advanced courses, or as an inspirational guide for experienced counselors. *Requests for digital versions from ACA can be found on www.wiley.com *To request print copies, please visit the ACA website https://imis.counseling.org/store/ *Reproduction requests for material from books published by ACA should be directed to publications@counseling.org
Teaching is not just a job, but a life journey. Although your contact with a student may be as brief as a single year, the impact can be felt across a lifetime. Jeffrey and Ellen Kottler help you navigate the typical milestones, challenges, and joys you're likely to face, illuminating the path along the way.
This book is a fabulous resource that helps both beginning and experienced teachers examine themselves and reflect on their own teaching practices." Michelle Barnea Educational Consultant Realize, refresh, and awaken the passionate, caring, motivated teacher inside! Who was the best teacher you ever had? Can you remember the excitement and joy that this teacher brought to learning? Do you want to be "the best teacher ever" for your students? Understanding yourself and how you relate to others is the first step in becoming the enthusiastic, inspirational teacher to whom students respond best. On Being a Teacher links teaching to the unique human characteristics that each of us possesses. Written with the preservice, beginning, and veteran teacher in mind, the authors help educators discover their own special traits that make them superlative teachers. This newly revised third edition includes the addition of: Research-based teaching strategies Professional development activities An in-depth look at parent-teacher conferences Ideas for getting involved in your school and district to further your professional growth Information on learning styles and multiple intelligences Guides for individual and group reflection This book is ideal for teacher education courses and induction programs and can be used for either individual growth or group study.
Written for therapists, scholars, clergy, students, and those with an interest in non-traditional healing practices, this book tells the story of Bradford Keeney, the first non-African to be inducted as a shaman in the Kung Bushman and Zulu cultures.
Therapy Over 50 discusses how psychotherapy is different for both the therapist and client after the age of fifty. The text deals with the inevitable and unrelenting changes that take place along with the corresponding lost dreams. It provides both hope and help for those elderly therapists and their clients.
This text presents an overview of therapeutic counselling. The topics covered include the development of a professional identity, ethical standards, basic process skills, the therapeutic relationship, personal theory building and understanding meaningful research.
An updated revision of Jeffrey Kottler's classic book reveals the new realities and inner experiences of therapeutic practice today For more than 25 years On Being a Therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. In this new edition, he explores many of the challenges that therapists face related to increased technology, surprising research, the Internet, advances in theory and technique, as well as stress in the international and global economy, managed care bureaucracy, patients with anxiety and depression from unemployment, dysfunctional families, poor education, poverty, parenting issues, often court mandated. Consequently, there's a wealth of new information that explores many forbidden subjects that are rarely admitted, much less talked about openly. Goes deeper than ever before into the inner world of therapist's hopes and fears Written by Jeffrey Kottler the "conscience of the profession" for his willingness to be so honest, authentic, and courageous New chapters explore dealing with failures, reluctant patients, how clients change therapists, and more There is also increased focus on the therapist's role and responsibility to promote issues of social justice, human rights, and systemic changes within the community and world at large.
One Life at a Time: Helping Skills and Interventions is a student-centered, inexpensive experientially based textbook for beginning courses in counseling and therapy. Written in Kottler's personal, easy-to-read and engaging style, this text covers all the basic skills and core interventions that beginners need to be taught in order to begin seeing clients. Students are encouraged to explore self-reflection and make connections between the material and their prior knowledge and experience; once internalized, these ideas and skills can be applied to one's life as well as one's work. Including an online instructor's manual, case examples and first person accounts - this book will help students to understand how best to meet a client's needs.
For more than thirty years, On Being a Therapist has inspired generations of mental health professionals to explore the most private and sacred aspects of their work helping others. In this thoroughly revised and updated fifth edition, Jeffrey Kottler explores many of the challenges that therapists face in their practices today, including pressures from increased technology, economic realities, and advances in theory and technique. He also explores the stress factors that are brought on from managed care bureaucracy, conflicts at work, and clients' own anxiety and depression. This new edition includes updated sources, new material on technology, new problems that therapists face, and two new chapters: "On Being a Therapeutic Storyteller-and Listener" and "On Being a Client: How to Get the Most from Therapy." Generations of students and practitioners in counseling, clinical psychology, social work, psychotherapy, marriage and family therapy, and human services have found comfort and confidence in On Being a Therapist, and this Fifth Edition -- intended to be the author's last major update to the seminal work -- only builds upon this solid foundation as it continues to educate helping professionals everywhere.
If you ask someone the question, "Tell me a story that changed your life," there will almost certainly be a thoughtful pause before a huge grin emerges. Everyone's life has been guided and impacted by stories, beginning with the earliest fables and nursery rhymes our parents used to instill moral values to the last time you wanted to illustrate a point in a meeting or get a laugh out of a friend over dinner. Storytelling is a uniquely human activity, among our first and most enduring forms of communication. This is a book about the meaning of stories in people's lives, especially those that have produced enduring changes in their values, behavior, lifestyle, and worldview. Carefully documented and supported by research from the social sciences, as well as from neurobiology, the humanities, media studies, and arts, Jeffrey Kottler will explore how and why stories are so powerfully influential in people's lives, especially those that lead to major life transformations.
Realize, refresh, and awaken the passionate, caring, motivated teacher inside! Who was the best teacher you ever had? Can you remember the excitement and joy that this teacher brought to learning? Do you want to be "the best teacher ever" for your students? Understanding yourself and how you relate to others is the first step in becoming the enthusiastic, inspirational teacher to whom students respond best. On Being a Teacher links teaching to the unique human characteristics that each of us possess. Written with the trainee, beginning, and experienced teacher in mind, the authors help teachers discover their own special traits that make them superlative teachers. teaching strategies Professional development activities An in-depth look at parent-teacher evenings Ideas for getting involved in your school and LEA to further your professional growth Information on learning styles and multiple intelligences Guides for individual and group reflection This book is ideal for teacher education courses and induction programs and can be used for either individual growth or group study.
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