`The content of the book is excellent.... The strength lies in its detailed application of ideas to practice. The use of the case material to illustrate application is excellent and works well' - Helen Cosis-Brown, University of Middlesex

Bringing a range of therapeutic models, with their theoretical underpinnings and skills, directly into a social work context, this core textbook offers a guide to the application of counselling skills to social work practice.

The book focuses on eight principal therapeutic models and each of these is explored to illustrate how the underlying theory can be applied to professional practice. The author then identifies the key skills which can be employed for the most effective social work intervention. Key features of the book include:

- a practical skills-based approach

- a range of case-studies drawn from a variety of `real-life' settings

- satisfies the benchmark guidelines structuring the new social work degree

- end-of-chapter Reflective Questions, Tips for Practice and Tables summarizing the key theoretical concepts and their applications.

This is an essential guide to improving communication skills and intervention with service-users.

Written in a lively and engaging style it will be an invaluable text for undergraduate students in social work. It will also be useful for qualified practitioners to enhance understanding of communication and the process of change through the medium of counselling skills.