Practicing Counseling and Psychotherapy

“I highly recommend this book to beginning therapists. It provides an excellent introduction to the nuts and bolts of doing therapy. The authors have a warm and embracing tone to their writing, which makes it easy to read. The data from the big study are fascinating and provide credibility for what the authors have to say about the therapy and supervision process.”
- Clara Hill, PhD, Professor, Department of Psychology, University of Maryland

“Ladany and his co-authors offer many gems of clinical wisdom. Using their process research as a foundation, they have provided a rare illustration of the integration of science and practice for all practitioners. The inclusion of ‘the good, the bad, and the ugly’ from practicum experience is instructive not only for new clinicians, but also new (and old) supervisors.”
- L. DiAnne Borders, PhD, Burlington Industries Excellence Professor and Chair, Department of Counseling and Educational Development, University of North Carolina at Greensboro

“This book is a must for trainee mental health practitioners -- counselors, their trainers and supervisors -- and it has much of value for seasoned practitioners.... A key strength of this book is the marriage of practice and research, as the reader is pointed to relevant research and given plenty of discussion questions and exercises to consider. The authors also include an excellent appendix in which the research study that underpinned this book is presented.”
- William West, PhD, Reader in Counseling Studies and Director of Counseling Programs, University of Manchester, UK

"This book does much to help dispel myths, and also to empower and inspire new counselors. It also serves as a cautionary tale for beginnings therapists and supervisors alike about very real obstacles and roadblocks to effective counseling and supervision. At times using humor, at times simple candor, but mostly using sound clinical wisdom and practical advice derived from their own years of experience as trainees, educators, supervisors, researchers, and practitioners, the authors do an excellent job of illuminating the first steps that a trainee typically takes on his or her professional path.[I] highly recommend this book for anyone working with counseling and therapy trainees, particularly for trainees themselves, and for both new and seasoned supervisors. I also look forward to hearing more from the authors, perhaps Practicing Counseling...Psychotherapy Part II?" -Barbara Thompson, in Psychotherapy Research, September 2008; 18(5): 625-627

"The idea for the book was straightforward - the authors asked their students what type of book they wished they had had when they started their client work practice during their training, and then set out to write something that met the requirement of 'a practical, how-to book that included real life examples' (p.ix). It is a tribute to the authors that they have not only succeeded, but succeeded well in producing a book that is eminently readable, sensibly structured and liberally illustrated with anecdotes. Furthermore, the book is as descriptive as any book can possibly be in describing a perennially unique experience of what it is like for a beginning therapist in the counseling room with a real-life client in front of them. In short, I wish that I had had this book when I was training...I strongly recommend the book to all practitioners, since I think that everyone, new or experienced, will gain something from it."- Carl Stonier, Counselling and Psychotherapy Research