In this exceptional new sixth edition, the author has retained the practical framework for offering immediate problem-solving assistance to persons in crisis. Therefore, the goal of this updated and expanded edition is to provide knowledge and methods applicable to particular crisis circumstances. Specific topics include: core concepts that are fundamental to all intervention efforts, crisis theory and the philosophy of crisis intervention, basic communication and problem-solving skills, suicide prevention, assistance for terminally ill persons, bereavement counseling, intervention with crime victims, rape counseling, negotiating with armed perpetrators, group strategies, family and marital interventions, disaster relief, case management, physical facilities, modes of contact, community relations, selection, training, and burnout prevention procedures. The handbook also details a review of the research on crisis intervention and how individual intervenors can build upon that knowledge. Numerous case examples presented in the handbook (with fictitious names) are based on actual occurrences the author has encountered. The techniques in this book are applicable to crisis centers, hotlines, Internet-based services, victim-assistance programs, college counseling centers, hospitals, schools, correctional facilities, children and youth programs, and other human service settings. The Study Questions at the end of each chapter are designed to serve as useful applications of crisis intervention theories and principles. Intended for caregivers whose work involves crisis intervention efforts, this is an informative resource for counselors, social workers, psychologists, nurses, physicians, clergy, correctional officers, parole and probation officers, and lay volunteers.

"This updated and expanded fourth edition continues the theme of the previous edition emphasizing the current supporting research towards the building of relationships, and encouraging productive change between human service workers and their clients. The text arranged the chapters in the following manner: Chapter 1 discusses several basic issues regarding the development and use of helping skills. Chapter 2 explores common modes of response. Chapter 3 encounters several ingredients that foster positive relationships. Chapter 4 presents a step-by-step approach to problem solving. Chapter 5 examines responses that can detract from efforts made. Chapter 6 presents a straightforward approach to establishing goals, objectives, and plans. Chapter 7 describes channels of nonverbal information and commonly encountered nonverbal messages. Chapter 8 highlights endeavors that take center stage before, during, and after scheduled appointments. Chapter 9 considers the needs of several groups such as children and older persons, clients having low socioeconomic status, individuals experiencing psychosis and longstanding issues, and other individuals. New and supporting research for the following topics are included: the helping alliance; client feedback; communication; self-efficacy and stress in helping skills students; responding to negative feelings; methods for implementing plans; person-centered decision making that is required by law (under the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act) for certain older and disabled individuals; gender; cultural heritage; and ethnicity. In addition, there are multiple-choice questions, as well as short-answer and fill-in-the-response items. Two complete client interviews are included, which will illustrate the value of the skills demonstrated with the person being interviewed. The text is further enhanced by an appendix offering numerous tools such as exercises and forms. This informative book is designed for human resource professionals, counselors, social workers, and other related helping professionals"--

Written specifically for non-clinical undergraduate students, but also relevant to graduate studies in helping professions, Skills for Helping Professionals, by Anne M. Geroski focuses on helping students develop the skills they need to effectively initiate and maintain helping relationships. After exploring the literature identifying critical components of helping relationships and briefly reviewing developmental and helping theories, the text covers such topics as the helping process, self-awareness, and ethics in helping, and then focuses on specific helping skills such as listening and hearing, empathy, reflecting, paraphrasing, questioning, clarifying, exploring, and offering feedback, encouragement, and psycho-education. The final chapters focus on individuals in crisis and helping in groups.

The second edition of Skills and Techniques for Human Service Professionals: Counseling Environment, Helping Skills, Treatment Issues provides readers with valuable information about how the counseling environment impacts the helping relationship, ways of delivering critical helping skills, and the necessity of understanding important treatment issues when working with clients and consumers. Section I focuses on the counseling environment. Whereas Chapter 1 highlights eight important characteristics of the effective helper, Chapter 2 examines how the client experiences the agency when first entering it. This chapter focuses on such things as agency atmosphere, physical space, and nonverbal behaviors of the helper. In Section II, chapters move from the most basic foundational skills to more advanced skills and specialized training. Coverage includes honoring and respecting the client, being curious, delimiting power and developing an equal relationship, non-pathologizing, listening, reflections, paraphrasing, and basic empathy. Readers also learn about affirmation giving, encouragement, and support; offering alternatives; information and advice giving; modeling; self-disclosure; collaboration; advocacy; information gathering and solution-focused questions; advanced empathy; confrontation; assessing for suicidality and homicidality; crisis, disaster, and trauma helping; token economies; positive helping; and coaching. Section III focuses on important treatment issues in human services including case management, culturally competent counseling, guidelines for working with diverse populations, and ethical decision-making when working with all clients.

For professional practitioners in the human services to successfully fulfill their important job roles they must be highly motivated. In many human service agencies, however, practitioners encounter situations that can seriously impede their motivation to work diligently as well as reduce their enjoyment on the job. For example, working with limited resources, unrealistic caseloads, problematic supervision, or interfering events beyond an agency’s control (e.g., the COVID-19 pandemic) can all reduce practitioner motivation and work enjoyment. This book describes how human service practitioners can achieve and maintain self-motivation to be professionally productive and experience enjoyment on the job during both the best and worst of times. Self-motivation is presented in terms of practitioners actively using strategies developed through research and application in behavior analysis and therapy to promote their work productivity and enjoyment. Self-motivation strategies presented are likewise based on the specific advice of highly successful practitioners in the human services. Some strategies presented are robust in nature, in that they can be applied across varying situations to promote self-motivation and enhance overall quality of work life. Other strategies are more situation-specific, being tailored to overcoming particular obstacles to motivation that practitioners often face in human service agencies. The intent of this book is to provide practical information that effectively equips practitioners to be in control of their work motivation and thereby work consistently in a manner that is professionally productive and personally enjoyable.

If building relationships and encouraging productive change are enterprises you wish to learn, this book is for you. In this new edition, previously titled SUPPORTIVE INTERVIEWING IN HUMAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, all of the material has been updated with regard to supporting research. The basic system that is presented is simple and straightforward, enabling the reader to keep in mind the fundamental concepts and allowing for the freedom to be flexible, spontaneous, creative, and natural. To increase the reader's understanding, the chapters have been arranged in the following order: Chapter 1 discusses several basic issues regarding the development and use of helping skills. Chapter 2 explores common modes of response. In Chapter 3, several ingredients are provided that foster positive relationships. Chapter 4 presents a step-by-step approach to problem solving. Chapter 5 examines responses that can detract from your efforts. In Chapter 6, a straightforward approach is presented to establishing goals, objectives, and plans. Chapter 7 describes channels of nonverbal information and commonly encountered nonverbal messages. Chapter 8 highlights endeavors that take center stage before, during, and after scheduled appointments. And Chapter 9 considers the needs of several groups: children, older persons, clients having low socioeconomic status, psychotic individuals, and persons experiencing long-standing issues. It will be appropriate for use by human service workers such as social workers, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, psychotherapists, counselors and others. Performance in any of these arenas, and a host of others, can be enhanced by the communication skills taught in this book.

This volume presents contemporary practice skills used in social work and other human service professions across a variety of contexts. The authors encourage a critical reflective perspective to help readers mindfully reflect on their practice, in order to help them deal with the frustrations and difficulties that they will encounter in their career. It lays out the theory and framework and then looks at specific skill sets in light of the frameworks and theories mentioned in the first half of the book.