Reading Recommendation #3 : Interviewing and Change Strategies for Helpers by Cormier, Nurius and Osborn

I remember having to refer to sections of the sixth edition of this book in my second year of Masters in Counseling Psychology, for the intervention-related modules. I loved it so much, that I ended up reading all of it.

The book is titled:

Interviewing and Change Strategies for Helpers: Fundamental Skills and Cognitive Behavioral Interventions 

and has been authored by:

Shelly Cormier, Paula S. Nurius, and Cynthia J. Osborn

This is the cover of the present edition - the eight edition of the book

This book is very comprehensive - it moves from a discussion of the counselor's foundation in preparing for skills and strategies; to skills that can be used in various stages of counseling, from the listening stage to the addressal of specific client issues to follow-up; and finally to skills that can be imparted to the client for lifelong self-management.

The book is lengthy, and rightly so, given the range of issues it deals with. It is lengthy, yet very simple in its approach.  I learnt a lot from the model examples presented with nearly every set of skills, which made the knowledge of the book of great practical use to me. When I read the book for myself, and not as a textbook, I had absolutely no issues reading it with an informal approach.

I hear that the latest edition of the book has been majorly revised in line with the current version of the DSM, the DSM-5.  Additionally, it now includes an access package for students consisting of demonstration videos straight by the authors of the book, which is an excellent multimedia learning opportunity for students.

I highly recommend this gem of a book, to the extent that I believe that not reading it is like missing out a huge opportunity to develop one's abilities for Counseling students.