Overview

Counsellors frequently work with people who are under stress or who are distressed. But counselling them can itself be a highly stressful activity and counsellors are by no means immune to pressure. This book examines the sources of stress for counsellors, and the practical strategies that they can use to overcome it Stress may emerge in the work that counsellors do with specific client groups, in the contexts in which counselling takes place, and in the educational process both for counsellor educators and for counsellors in training. In this book practising counsellors with first-hand experience of dealing with stress examine the nature of the stresses that counsellors face in these different areas, detail the typical responses (both healthy and unhealthy) that counsellors make, and suggest methods for improved coping. An opening chapter sets these personal experiences in context by reviewing the research literature on counsellor stress.

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9780803989955

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Reviews

'Counselling those who are distressed can itself be a highly stressful activity... Practical, supportive and encouraging, this book's most important function is perhaps to enable counsellors to recognize that they are not alone in experiencing such problems and pressures, and to reassure them that methods of coping with stress can be found and successfully employed. An invaluable resource for both trainee counsellors and more experienced practitioners of all approaches' - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling 'The great strength of the book lies in (1) the analyses and (2) its emphasis on empirical evidence. It should contribute to preventing and reducing stress in counsellors and therefore to more effective counselling... this is a clear-sighted, original, constructive book written with lots of life, and I hope it is widely read and influential' - Psychology Teaching Review 'This book invoked recognition and sighs of relief as I realised that others too tussle with difficulties closely related to my own... One of the strengths of this book is that each practitioner includes suggestions for improved coping, and just as we can learn from our shared difficulties, so we can also benefit from their experience of what works' - Self & Society 'In everyday conversation and in the media stress has become a catch-all word which obscures a variety of contexts and individual responses. This book attempts to unpick some of the meanings that stress may have for counselling professionals... A better title for the book might be The Challenges of Counselling in Action as that is what many of the contributors describe with clarity and insight... What the book underlines is the fundamental importance of keeping clear boundaries, of regular supervision, of time for reflection and recreation, and of support networks. The counsellor who hopes her client will learn to take care of himself needs to show the way by first knowing how to take care of herself' - Journal of Interprofessional Care 'This book provides a balanced view of the real life issues that therapists must master to succeed, both professionally and personally' - Academic Library Book Review

'Counselling those who are distressed can itself be a highly stressful activity... Practical, supportive and encouraging, this book's most important function is perhaps to enable counsellors to recognize that they are not alone in experiencing such problems and pressures, and to reassure them that methods of coping with stress can be found and successfully employed. An invaluable resource for both trainee counsellors and more experienced practitioners of all approaches' - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling 'The great strength of the book lies in (1) the analyses and (2) its emphasis on empirical evidence. It should contribute to preventing and reducing stress in counsellors and therefore to more effective counselling... this is a clear-sighted, original, constructive book written with lots of life, and I hope it is widely read and influential' - Psychology Teaching Review 'This book invoked recognition and sighs of relief as I realised that others too tussle with difficulties closely related to my own... One of the strengths of this book is that each practitioner includes suggestions for improved coping, and just as we can learn from our shared difficulties, so we can also benefit from their experience of what works' - Self & Society 'In everyday conversation and in the media stress has become a catch-all word which obscures a variety of contexts and individual responses. This book attempts to unpick some of the meanings that stress may have for counselling professionals... A better title for the book might be The Challenges of Counselling in Action as that is what many of the contributors describe with clarity and insight... What the book underlines is the fundamental importance of keeping clear boundaries, of regular supervision, of time for reflection and recreation, and of support networks. The counsellor who hopes her client will learn to take care of himself needs to show the way by first knowing how to take care of herself' - Journal of Interprofessional Care 'This book provides a balanced view of the real life issues that therapists must master to succeed, both professionally and personally' - Academic Library Book Review 'Counselling those who are distressed can itself be a highly stressful activity... Practical, supportive and encouraging, this book's most important function is perhaps to enable counsellors to recognize that they are not alone in experiencing such problems and pressures, and to reassure them that methods of coping with stress can be found and successfully employed. An invaluable resource for both trainee counsellors and more experienced practitioners of all approaches' - Counselling, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling 'The great strength of the book lies in (1) the analyses and (2) its emphasis on empirical evidence. It should contribute to preventing and reducing stress in counsellors and therefore to more effective counselling... this is a clear-sighted, original, constructive book written with lots of life, and I hope it is widely read and influential' - Psychology Teaching Review 'This book invoked recognition and sighs of relief as I realised that others too tussle with difficulties closely related to my own... One of the strengths of this book is that each practitioner includes suggestions for improved coping, and just as we can learn from our shared difficulties, so we can also benefit from their experience of what works' - Self & Society 'In everyday conversation and in the media stress has become a catch-all word which obscures a variety of contexts and individual responses. This book attempts to unpick some of the meanings that stress may have for counselling professionals... A better title for the book might be The Challenges of Counselling in Action as that is what many of the contributors describe with clarity and insight... What the book underlines is the fundamental importance of keeping clear boundaries, of regular supervision, of time for reflection and recreation, and of support networks. The counsellor who hopes her client will learn to take care of himself needs to show the way by first knowing how to take care of herself' - Journal of Interprofessional Care 'This book provides a balanced view of the real life issues that therapists must master to succeed, both professionally and personally' - Academic Library Book Review

Author Information

Windy Dryden is one of the leading practitioners and trainers in the UK in the Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) tradition of psychotherapy. He is best known for his work in Rational-Emotive Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (RECBT), a leading CBT approach.  He has been working in the field of counselling and psychotherapy since 1975 and was one of the first people in Britain to be trained in CBT. He has published over 200 books and has trained therapists all over the world, in as diverse places as the UK, the USA, South Africa, Turkey and Israel. He is Emeritus Professor of Psychotherapeutic Studies at Goldsmiths, University of London.

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