Reviews in the Overviews & Guides Category, Page 2

This book achieves what it sets out to do: “to introduce readers to the rich tapestry of existential therapeutic approaches”. I found it concise and easy to read, despite the fact that it deals with some fairly complex ideas. I found much in Mick Cooper’s book of interest and have found myself using some of the therapeutic interventions he describes, with my own clients.

This is an impressive and very wide ranging introduction to the Person Centred Approach. It not only introduces the approach but adds new dimensions to the theory and new extensions of it into practice, reaching well beyond the counselling room walls.

While suffering somewhat from a lack of focus on the book’s intended themes, the individual contributions in this edited collection of 16 chapters nonetheless make worthwhile reading in and of themselves. (Review originally published in 2003.)

In terms of print resources designed to help individual clients navigate the wide range of counselling and psychotherapy options, this book is at or near the top of the list. Concise, comprehensible, and practical, it is probably one of the best investments a prospective client can make prior to beginning counselling.

This book provides an excellent overview of the primary theoretical approaches to counselling and psychotherapy as practised in the United Kingdom. Covering history, theory, primary client set and strengths and weaknesses for each of thirteen different approaches, the book makes an excellent starting point for exploring different schools of thought in more detail. (Review originally published in 2003.)