In this engaging book, Jeffrey Kottler and Richard Balkin address common misconceptions about what works in counseling and offer suggestions for building constructive counseling relationships and facilitating positive counseling outcomes. Key aspects of the client-counselor relationship are supported by interesting examples and stories integrated with clinically useful research on counseling results.

Part 1 reviews basic assumptions about the nature of helping relationships and examines how and why they can empower client change efforts. Part 2 describes practical approaches to encourage client trust and growth, including chapters on the cultural and environmental context of relationships; the ways in which counseling is used to treat trauma; how exchanging stories solidifies and fortifies counseling relationships; and using creative and innovative techniques to enhance relationships. Part 3 discusses the influence of relationships on counselors' personal lives and explores how counselors are affected by their work, process disappointments and failures, and deal with personal conflicts.