From leading skills expert Richard Nelson-Jones, this bestselling book is the ideal companion for any trainer or trainee wanting to acquire and develop the counseling skills key to effective therapeutic relationships. Using an easy to follow, three-stage model, this Fourth Edition provides the answers to those all important questions: What are counseling skills and why are they important?How can I become more skilled and put the skills I have learnt into practice?What skills will help me manage crises and work effectively with diversity, ethical issues and dilemmas? How can I help my client to develop their own self-helping skills and maintain change after the counseling relationship has terminated? Accessible, practical and concise, this new edition is packed full of up-to-date case examples, more material on self-care and diversity, as well as a brand new chapter on "Using Technology in Counselling". This is the ideal text for introductory courses in counseling skills, counseling and other professional areas including health care, management, education and social work.