Encyclopedia of Counseling

Selected as an Outstanding Academic Title by Choice Magazine, January 2010Counseling is a professional activity that involves helping clients, individually or in groups, or as couples and families, deal with various career, vocational, educational, and emotional problems. From the depressed and lonely college student to the business executive at midlife experiencing decreasing levels of career satisfaction to the couple where one partner has been unfaithful in the relationship, counseling is the intervention that numerous individuals turn to each year as the challenges and stress of daily living exceed their normal coping abilities. Counseling is practiced by counselors, social workers, psychiatric nurses, psychologists, and psychiatrists. Counseling is to be differentiated from psychotherapy in that the latter deals more with mental illnesses and psychological disorders while the former is more concerned with normative stresses, adjustment difficulties, and life transitions (e.g., adjusting to unemployment or going through a divorce). The Encyclopedia of Counseling will be the definitive resource for members of the public who are interested in learning about the science and practice of counseling. It will also be a useful resource for undergraduate and graduate students as well as professionals from other specialties. Covering all of the major theories, approaches, and contemporary issues in counseling, the set will include over 600 entries. The Encyclopedia will consist of 4 volumes: (a) changes and challenges facing counseling, (b) personal counseling for mental health problems, (c) career counseling, and (d) cross-cultural counseling. Each volume is organized alphabetically and can be purchased separately. However, each volume will also contain a comprehensive index and cross-referencing system to entries in other volumes. Volume 1: Changes and Challenges for Counseling in the 21st Century History of Counseling, Definition of Counseling, Professional Associations, Licensure, Accreditation, Managed Care, Marriage Counseling, Family Counseling, Ethical Codes Volume 2: Personal Counseling and Mental Health Problems Alcoholism, Psychodynamic Theories of Counseling, Cognitive-Behavioral Approaches to Counseling, Depression, Suicide, Eating Disorders, Bereavement Counseling Volume 3: Career and Vocational Counseling Career Assessment Instruments, Holland's Model of Career Intervention, Strong Interest Inventory, Guidance and Career Counseling in Schools, Career Counseling for Midlife Transitions, Career Resources on the Web, Violence in the Workplace Volume 4: Cross-Cultural Counseling Acculturation, Cultural Identity, Counseling African-Americans, Counseling Hispanic Americans, Counseling Refugees, Counseling Sojourners and International Students, Cross-Cultural Counseling Competencies