Inside Counselling : Becoming and Being a Professional Counsellor

'Anthony Crouch examines the internal and subjective reality of being a counsellor. Using a series of vignettes, rather than case studies, Crouch builds in all participant perspectives, counsellor, client and supervisor... [the book] proves to be eminently readable, like a good novel. And like a good novel, as opposed to merely a "good read", it takes the reader into the world of its characters so that we might understand them. From the outset, Crouch asserts that the effective counsellor is one who can enter the intimate subjectivity of the client and use that reality as a catalyst for change and growth. By the same token the counsellor should grow through that interaction. The book also contains a series of challenging personal development exercises which the author invites the reader to undertake' - Counselling and Psychotherapy, The Journal of the British Association for Counselling and PsychotherapyThis innovative and creative book explores the experience of becoming and being a counsellor, and engaging in the therapeutic process.The book enters the internal, subjective world of counselling through its characters: students, counsellors, clients, supervisors and the author himself. It weaves together their perspectives and uses 'talk' as its main medium - the talk of counselling and supervision sessions, training groups, workshops and students' journals. In so doing, the book breaks away from traditional methods and conventions to present complex theories, difficult concepts and serious information in an engaging, focused and manageable way.The book encourages readers to think subjectively, to question theories that come solely from outside, and to stay with and use their internal world as the main focus of counselling work. It also provides personal development exercises to help readers access long-forgotten feelings.

Anthony Crouch is Head of Training at Counselling South West